The police department at Frostburg State University has stepped up its efforts to combat underage drinking, occasionally sending undercover officers or students to survey particularly rowdy parties. The department's actions have shed light on the various methods university police departments may take to ensure the safety of students.
The 4,755 undergraduate students at Frostburg State reside in close proximity to many long-term, elderly residents of the town of Frostburg, Md. As a result, excessive drinking within student residences affects the quality of life of the entire "mixed population of student housing and long-term residents," said Frostburg Campus Police Chief Cynthia Smith, who has worked to strengthen police efforts against underage drinking since she assumed her position last year.
The police department conducts basic surveillance on some parties but also uses undercover officers or students if a certain location seems to have a good deal of activity, Smith said. Such undercover officers or students could help determine if the police department should acquire a warrant to enter a student residence, she said.
Though the program may seem extreme to some, "there is nothing new or ground-breaking here," Smith said, adding that the "whole goal is prevention."
To pursue this goal, the department announced the program in advance to make students aware of certain ground rules.
"All we're trying to do is keep our campus safe, trying to get kids thinking about what they're doing," Smith said.
University Police Lt. Melissa Fielding said University police would not dismiss the idea of using undercover officers at parties, but the police department has not implemented such a practice in recent times, she said.
"I can't say that we would never or that it does not happen because those are certainly programs that are available within our resources," Fielding said.
For example, the University police department often partners with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which has the resources to instigate undercover programs, Fielding said.
"It is not something that we make a regular practice of, but it can be done," she said.
Regardless, many student parties fall within the jurisdiction of the Charlottesville police department, Fielding said, because those parties do not take place on Grounds.
The enforcement efforts that take place, however, occur in part because the first concern for the University police department is "the health and safety of our students," Fielding said. She refrained from comparing University enforcement policies to those of Frostburg State, noting that she cannot comment because she does not know the school's drinking culture. Nevertheless, any enforcement methods that prevent students from harm are worthwhile endeavors, she said.
University students are "really fortunate that the police department really puts a focus on their safety," said Susan Bruce, director of the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education. "Most students probably would say [the] police department does an excellent job of making sure people are getting home."
In addition, Bruce pointed out that University police work closely with many other programs on Grounds to educate students about alcohol abuse and prevention. She cited programs such as the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team and Peer Health Educators as helpful resources for University students.
These student groups have worked closely with police officials, especially around the time of events such as Halloween, home football games or this weekend's Foxfield Races. The University also has received grants from the Virginia ABC for its prevention and education programs surrounding these events, Bruce said.
As these efforts have become more coordinated, overall statistics for University have shown a downward trend. In a 2009 survey of a random sample of University students, 49 percent reported drinking at binge level, as opposed to the 57.9 percent who reported binge drinking in 2003, Bruce said.
The University Biennial Report - which is required by the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 - for 2006 to 2008 reported a similar trend. The report stated that - compared with 2006 - 4 percent fewer students in 2008 reported drinking during the past month, while 4 percent fewer students reported drinking during the past year.
For students' safety, the results seem to have been positive, according to the report.
"Over the past eight years at U.Va., there has been a steady and significant decrease in adverse consequences associated with alcohol use, including decreases in fights, injuries, driving under the influence, and poor performance on an assignment, test, or class project," the report stated.
-Kate Colwell contributed to this report
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