2008 Woodie Awards
Keg law may change police work
Ben Worsley
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News
A new state law aimed at cutting down underage drinking at large keg parties is set to take effect this summer.
Just a week after the law was officially signed by the governor, local liquor store owners are already expressing mixed feelings about the law's ability to decrease the sale and distribution of alcohol to underage patrons.
The new law aims to more tightly regulate keg rentals by requiring buyers to provide a driver's license number or similar identification.
Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who sponsored the bill, said University Police came up with the idea for the new bill by bringing issues with the problematic record-keeping system to the attention of the city and the legislature.
"Right now, for police, when they go to these parties to break them down, they're seeing the keg, but they're having trouble finding the person who rented it," said Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who sponsored similar legislation in the House of Delegates.
Peña-Melnyk said liquor store employees will now have to fill out the entire keg rental form, as opposed to the current system in which the employee fills out the top half and the buyer fills out the bottom. She added that there is a history of keg renters filling out the forms illegibly, making it more difficult for police officers to figure out who is to blame when they break up large parties with underage drinkers.
"A lot of times, the people are giving incorrect or partial names, and that makes it hard for us to track down these people," said Sgt. Philip Tou with the University Police, who was a major proponent in the development of the bill.
Liquor stores are required to keep copies of the forms in a book that are available to police at any time, said an employee at College Park Liquors who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the county liquor board. However, the validity of the information recorded is not checked or run through any kind of system.
Just a week after the law was officially signed by the governor, local liquor store owners are already expressing mixed feelings about the law's ability to decrease the sale and distribution of alcohol to underage patrons.
The new law aims to more tightly regulate keg rentals by requiring buyers to provide a driver's license number or similar identification.
Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who sponsored the bill, said University Police came up with the idea for the new bill by bringing issues with the problematic record-keeping system to the attention of the city and the legislature.
"Right now, for police, when they go to these parties to break them down, they're seeing the keg, but they're having trouble finding the person who rented it," said Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who sponsored similar legislation in the House of Delegates.
Peña-Melnyk said liquor store employees will now have to fill out the entire keg rental form, as opposed to the current system in which the employee fills out the top half and the buyer fills out the bottom. She added that there is a history of keg renters filling out the forms illegibly, making it more difficult for police officers to figure out who is to blame when they break up large parties with underage drinkers.
"A lot of times, the people are giving incorrect or partial names, and that makes it hard for us to track down these people," said Sgt. Philip Tou with the University Police, who was a major proponent in the development of the bill.
Liquor stores are required to keep copies of the forms in a book that are available to police at any time, said an employee at College Park Liquors who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the county liquor board. However, the validity of the information recorded is not checked or run through any kind of system.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 27
anon
posted 4/15/08 @ 8:53 AM EST
Umm...I don't know if anyone told the police this, but this is a college town. I don't think the parties are the problem here. The problem here is criminals robbing and assaulting students. (Continued…)
Zack
posted 4/15/08 @ 9:47 AM EST
Its great how the Univ police use the excuse that this will halt crime. This is just another one of Tou's moral mission to stop underage drinking. I wonder what kind of childhood this guys had. (Continued…)
Ben
posted 4/15/08 @ 10:50 AM EST
I don't think it's an issue of the keg having an illegible sticker. Every time I've bought a keg, for any purpose, I've taken the sticker off and held onto it. (Continued…)
Ed
posted 4/15/08 @ 12:37 PM EST
College Park is a fucking ghetto. This place is such a dump, with all the used car dealers, neglected buildings, and utter lack of character. The local hood rats seem to care only about robbing innocent college students rather than improving their 'lives'. (Continued…)
really?
posted 4/15/08 @ 1:12 PM EST
"Right now, for police, when they go to these parties to break them down, they're seeing the keg, but they're having trouble finding the person who rented it," said Del. (Continued…)
Veronica
posted 4/15/08 @ 3:02 PM EST
I am happy that the Police now have another tool to help them cut down on the crimes that occur around campus. A lot of people 21 and older seem to have trouble controlling their alcohol intake and it's much worse with the under 21 crowd. (Continued…)
Johnny Lawrence
posted 4/15/08 @ 9:57 PM EST
Ahh yes, this is being passed to protect college students from criminals. Pure genius. It is interesting that the Democrats are advocating a policy that restricts/regulates the behavior of the average citizen in order to prevent future crimes. (Continued…)
Support your Protectors
posted 4/16/08 @ 3:05 AM EST
First of all, UMPD is a pretty good police force that has to patrol a high crime area filled with excessively drunken college students that think they are untouchable. (Continued…)
Johnny Lawrence
posted 4/16/08 @ 8:36 AM EST
"Support" -
Not bad points - but you are arguing a different point than most of the previous posters. Most people complaining in this thread think it is an unreasonable allocation of police resources, and it sanctions the victim as opposed to the actual criminal - both unjustified actions. (Continued…)
alum
posted 4/16/08 @ 1:17 PM EST
The police know that once you turn 21 you become magically invincible to all guns, knives, bats, punches...pretty much anything a criminal can throw at you. (Continued…)
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