From the office of Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano…

Westchester County government’s  annual effort to prevent prom-night tragedies resulting from underage drinking has begun.

“Underage drinking is illegal and is not a rite of passage,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “The goal of our program is to keep our teens safe by educating them and their parents. At the same time, we want to make sure limousine companies and hotels understand they will be held accountable if they tolerate any underage drinking.”

This year’s effort is again being coordinated by the county’s Office of Drug Prevention and STOP-DWI, the Department of Public Safety and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

A key component of the program will continue to be prom-night inspections by county and local police of limousines carrying prom-goers to and from local catering halls. In past years, these inspections have led to the confiscation of alcohol, issuance of numerous tickets for safety violations  and the rescue of teens found suffering from alcohol poisoning who were then rushed by police to the hospital. These inspections are funded with the help of the county’s Stop-DWI Office. (Go to www.westchestergov.com/stopdwi )

“County and local police will continue to check limousines to ensure that prom-goers have not been drinking and are not carrying alcohol with them,” said Spano. “We are asking parents to talk with their teens in advance of proms. They need to ask questions and to make sure their teenagers understand what is at risk if they are caught drinking.”

Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Belfiore said the initiative have curbed underage drinking during prom season.

“Each year less and less alcohol is being confiscated from young adults going to their prom,” he said. “However, we will remain vigilant to ensure that high school proms in Westchester remain alcohol-free.”

In addition to the party patrol, other components of the program are the following:
•    The county government has already distributed letters to all high school principals with suggestions on how to involve parents in prom preparations. A free brochure is available at www.westchestergov.com/stopdwi.
•    Catering halls have been asked to notify the county of any proms they will host. More than 70 proms have been reportedly scheduled in Westchester.
•    The county’s Taxi & Limousine Commission has met with the owners of  all local limousine companies to emphasize this same point and to discuss additional measures which can further reduce pre- and post-prom availability of alcohol.
•    The county will launch an ad campaign with one spot aimed at parents to remind them to be involved with prom planning and another spot designed to raise the awareness of teens of the possible consequences of alcohol-related crashes and incidents. The ad campaign will run throughout May.
•    The Westchester Coalition for Drug and Alcohol Free Youth will launch an ad campaign “NOT MY KID” to remind parents about the dangers of underage drinking after proms.
•    The Westchester Coalition for Drug and Alcohol Free Youth has partnered with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks to launch a “Parenting is Prevention” campaign, including hosting   a Parent Night on Thursday,  May 14 at the County Center, with nationally renown speaker Milton Creagh.

For additional information on what you could do to help make your school prom a safe and sober prom, contact the office of Drug Prevention and STOP-DWI at (914) 995-4115.