Editorial-Dec. 21, 2006

City also needs law that targets young drinkers

By: Mae Rhine
   Back in June, we urged Lambertville and West Amwell to take a cue from neighboring Hopewell and consider an ordinance that would ban underage drinking on private property.
   Hopewell police were frustrated because they couldn’t do anything about minors sitting outside drinking while police cruised by.
   Hopewell passed the law. West Amwell now is considering doing the same.
   Unfortunately, it comes too late for Jack Reid Jr., 19, of Kingwood Township, who died early Nov. 19 after drinking alcohol at an outdoor party on private property at Rock Road West in West Amwell.
   We don’t know if the law would have made a difference. But it might have.
   The state motor vehicle and criminal codes both contain provisions against the possession and the consumption of alcohol by minors on public land and quasi-public land, such as a park or a vehicle. Hopewell’s law closes a loophole in the state law, which does not prohibit underage drinking on private property. So would West Amwell’s proposed law.
   Hopewell’s has several exceptions, however. The main one is minors would be able to drink in the presence of and with the permission of a parent, guardian or relative of legal age. But the adult would have to be there at the time.
   West Amwell’s proposed law contains no such exception. Even if the parents or a legal guardian are there, minors would not be permitted to drink.
   Lt. Stephen Bartzak, who is the head of the West Amwell Police Department, wants no exemptions.
   "The law is the law," he says.
   We agree.
   West Amwell’s law would have some exemptions, as Hopewell’s does, such as minors drinking in connection with a religious observance, ceremony or rite or doing food preparation in a culinary arts or hotel management program.
   One of the problems could be with enforcement as police would have no legal authority to go on private property unless they had probable cause.
   But if someone complained or police had "substantial credible information," according to Lt. Bartzak, they could go on the property.
   Officials in West Amwell seem to favor passing the law. Mayor Thomas Molnar said, "I’m all for it. We lost a person, and that’s one too many as far as I’m concerned."
   Now that West Amwell has stepped up, it’s time for Lambertville to do the same.
   When asked by The Beacon about it in June, Police Director Bruce Cocuzza said he would support the law and that any action taken would be in a youth’s "best interest."
   We’d like to see Lambertville pass a similar law before another tragedy occurs.