Borough Council responds to more reports of intoxicated underage Princeton University students.
By: Jennifer Potash
As more reports of intoxicated underage Princeton University students fill the police blotter, the Princeton Borough Council has asked for an update on the voluntary measures aimed at curtailing alcohol abuse at the off-campus eating clubs.
The council will discuss the matter Tuesday.
Last spring, the Borough Council tabled a controversial ordinance that permits police officers to enforce underage drinking laws on private property.
Following that action, a cooperative effort led by the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance with several eating club presidents, the borough police and representatives from Princeton University produced a host of measures such as offering nonalcoholic beverages at parties and greater efforts to identify and deny underage students access to alcohol.
Under the proposed borough ordinance, police officers could enforce underage drinking ordinances only if invited inside the property or if responding to an emergency. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office recommended local municipalities adopt the measure.
The council is unlikely to push the ordinance before it holds its reorganization meeting in early January because of lack of time and the questionable support of council members.
"I do not know there is the support on council at this point to pass that ordinance," said Borough Councilwoman Peggy Karcher, who is the liaison to PADA.
If the council wants to take action on the ordinance this year, it must be introduced Tuesday so the council could hold a public hearing at its last meeting on Dec. 23. Should the ordinance be introduced but not acted on in December, it would die and need to be reintroduced next year.
The council would be expected to contact other municipalities that adopted the law to see how well it works before taking a vote. Lawrence and Ewing townships added the ordinance to their books and West Windsor adopted a similar measure last month.
PADA, a municipal advisory committee made up of elected officials, citizens, substance-abuse professionals and representatives from area schools and local law enforcement agencies, formed three subcommittees focusing on high school students, university students and parents and the need for their involvement. PADA will give the council an update on its progress at Tuesday’s meeting, Ms. Karcher said.
Police Chief Charles Davall said the overall situation is worse than last spring, when the clubs made certain changes.
"Some of the clubs that were among the best last year are the worst this year," he said.
The borough agreed to drop charges against several club presidents if the clubs implemented a prevention program to the chief’s satisfaction.
That plan included mandatory training for club officers to learn how to identify and prevent underage and binge drinking; the hiring by the clubs of private, non-student security guards to check guests’ identification; and ensuring that more club members are on duty during parties to watch for alcoholic beverage violations.
On Monday, police charged the president of Cap and Gown Club with serving alcohol to a minor and maintaining a nuisance. Another underage drinking incident at a Prospect Avenue club is under investigation and charges could be filed, the chief said.
"I’m not confident there are procedures in place," he said.
Some eating clubs may hesitate to trust the police department following an undercover investigation that led to the charges against several club presidents for alcohol violations earlier this year, the chief has said.
"Human nature would lead me to believe that there are trust issues," Chief Davall said.
The annual elections of new leaders at the clubs may play a role, the chief said. With the change of leadership at clubs each year, the new president might be less willing to enforce or support agreements made by a previous president, the chief said.
The borough police and the university’s Public Safety Department are discussing a larger role for the campus police in enforcing alcoholic beverage regulations at the clubs, Chief Davall said.