WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. By John F. Bailey. December 9, 2002: On the weekend before chairing a meeting of the Westchester County Task Force on Teen Drinking today, Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro put restaurants and retail liquor outlets, parents and school districts on notice, as needing to take more responsibility in accepting responsibility, and dealing out appropriate punishment to teens particpating in illegal drinking.
Appearing on the News 12 show, Newsmakers, Ms. Pirro reconfirmed her comments of last week in which she said her office would seek to revoke the real driver’s licenses of teens caught purchasing alcohol with bogus licenses. In addition, she said her office would bring charges against parents, in whose homes parties condoning illegal drinking among teams were held.
Establishments that serve alcoholic beverages were served notice that the District Attorney would prosecute them when they are caught serving alcohol to minors. She was asked about her response to Bob Hyland’s comment that county i.d. enforcement operations against liquor establishments amounted to “entrapment.” Hyland is the owner of The Sports Page in White Plains, In the course of the program, she said she “looked forward” to proving in court that Bob Hyland’s Sports Page in fact served liquor to underage minors in a recent county “sting” operation. She indicated the undercover sting operations would continue.
Parents Will Be Held Responsible for Underage Drinking Parties
The District Attorney commented that parents were an “important piece” of the issue, and that they needed to take an active, responsible role when their children participate in parties and entertainments. She said she would bring charges against parents whose homes are the setting for parties where alcoholic beverages are available to teens.
Questions School Board Leniency
Ms. Pirro, towards the close of the program, criticised the Town of Harrison School Board for not dealing more sternly with teenage football players caught drinking at parties this past year. Pirro said, that it sent a poor message to teens that they did not suffer more serious punishment for violating the underage drinking law, noting that they were only suspended for one week of play.
She used the example to make her point that in her opinion, schools had to take such violations by their students more seriously and impose serious consequences on students for violating the acohol age laws.
