Sacramento State is embarking on new efforts to control underage drinking through preventative measures, as a result of grants to local law enforcement agencies from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The Sacramento City Police Department received $125,000, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department received $101,000 to reduce underage drinking, arrest intoxicated individuals and work on problem locations where alcohol is sold, according to a press release.

The work will take a variety of forms ?” from enforcement operations involving sting operations and decoys, to party patrols and a new advertising campaign designed to help students deal with alcohol responsibly.

Also, the number of sobriety checkpoints will increase to discourage drunken driving.

Heather Dunn-Carlton, special programs coordinator for Student Affairs and administrator for the Alcohol Education Program, said the university has always done its part to educate students of alcohol abuse risks and how to stay healthy and safe. She said this program will add to the education program.

Part of that education has to be followed up with enforcement, and enforcement is a means of education, Dunn-Carlton said.

The sting operations and decoys will target local liquor outlets that are near campus. In most cases, the under-21 decoy will get a let me see your ID from the store clerks when attempting to purchase alcohol and won’t get sold any, Dunn-Carlton said.

I actually went out on an operation, and the clerk looked at the decoy’s ID, and he said, ‘You’re not 21?’, and she said, ‘No, I’m not,’ and he went ahead and packaged it up and sold it to her, Dunn Carlton said.

In areas where complaints have been filed due to parties that resulted in excessive noise, trash, or minors drinking, the party patrol will take notice and action to try to prevent out-of-control parties.

The “Wanna Party?” brochure ?” made to look like the infamous red party cup, complete with paper foam peeking out over the top ?” is six pages of information for partygoers, including a list of phone numbers on the back.

Inside the brochure, against an amber background of paper beer, there are tips on how to deal with neighbors, alcohol poisoning, the police and the possible consequences for illegal behaviors, ranging from having a fake ID, charging people to drink, purchasing alcohol for a minor and getting a DUI.

Jack Martin, Jr. is a retired public defender for the county of Sacramento, serving for 29 years as a staff trial attorney, and for the last 18 months of his career, he was partly in charge of the DUI operations for his office.

If someone is over 18 but under 21, there’s basically a zero-tolerance policy, Martin said.If you get convicted of a DUI, you lose your license for a year, or if you don’t have a license, then you lose your right to get a license for a year, Martin said.

In addition, there are potentially more than $4,000 worth of fees that the offender (underage or over 21) must pay, including increased car insurance rates, the court assessment fee and the DUI fine, according to the brochure.

Another risk for partygoers is alcohol poisoning, which is an effect of binge drinking. Symptoms include seizures, vomiting, confusion, blue tinged or pale skin, and/or unconsciousness.

There’s nothing more heart-breaking, or more frightening, to watch than a student who’s been involved in this, said Dunn-Carlton, who has served as a Greek adviser for Sac State.

I’ve gone in the ambulance with a student suffering from alcohol poisoning. In those types of life and death situations, students who haven’t consumed alcohol in the past and don’t know their limits are at risk.

One student wants to move away from enforcement and more towards early education and prevention.

My thing with drinking is that people need to be educated, said Matthew Carrigan, starting his second bachelor’s degree in humanities and religious studies with a minor in Latin. From my standpoint, the important thing is teaching people how to drink. It’s not just throwing money around and saying, ‘Stop;’ it’s educating people.

Carringan said most college students are 18 years old and will drink anyway, so it’s important to teach them about the risks.

I’d say, assume they’re going to drink and educate them. Teach them then, at 18, if not before. Get them in high school, and teach people how to drink appropriately and properly, Carringan said.

Another tactic already is the birthday card that goes out to students on their 21st birthday.

It’s to remind them to be safe, and it tells the story about a student who did the 21-for-21 tradition and died. We want to remind them to have a good time, but to make sure they can celebrate their 22nd birthday, too, Dunn-Carlton said.

Dunn-Carlton said the most responsible choice is to not drink and that she wants students who do drink to think of ways to be safe.

We’re in no way looking to stop the social life of students at Sacramento State. We want them to be safe, and we want them to be responsible, Dunn-Carlton said.

Tom Roberts can be reached at [email protected]