Metropolitan Police officers said their capacity to curb underage drinking has diminished since the passage of a more lenient alcohol bill.
“They’ve made it so it’s not a crime, so we can’t (make arrests),” said MPD Officer Daniel Godin as he patrolled the vibrant streets of Georgetown Friday night. “But in my opinion, when a person is under 21 they can’t control their alcohol.”
For years, underage drinking in the District was a criminal offense. But in May, a D.C. Superior Court judge put an injunction on all underage drinking arrests. In July, the D.C. City Council passed emergency legislation that made underage drinking a civil offense for first-time offenders and a criminal offense for repeat violators.
Godin, who did not deal with any alcohol-related issues Friday night, said that while fake identification possession is still illegal under D.C. law, it’s not something he actively looks for.
“It’s not (a priority) with me,” he said.
Still, Godin said young people should be wary of walking the streets with an open beverage because that is a law that MPD enforces.
“Most people don’t understand they can be in possession of alcohol but it can’t be open,” Godin said.
Godin and other officers said it’s not worth arresting someone for a drinking offense because they want to remain on the streets and prevent more serious crimes.
“It doesn’t take long to process arrests … I’ve made a lot, so I’m relatively quick, but it takes me off the street for 50 minutes or so,” Godin said.
Officer Matthew Earls, who has been with MPD for seven years, agreed that it could be inefficient to take officers of the street to handle underage drinking.
“We can take little fish, but it takes us off the street … meanwhile, someone is burglarizing or robbing,” said Earls, who patrols Cleveland Park.
Earls said the city is sending young people mixed messages when it comes to underage drinking.
“The laws have changed. I know there’s a stay on arresting underage drinkers,” Earls said. “It sends the message ‘Hey, it’s okay to drink.’ I can’t agree, but that’s how the city is, and that’s fine.”
Officers are being sent mixed messages as well.
“There’s an injunction – we don’t lock up anyone under 21,” said Earls, who is under the mistaken assumption that the council has not passed a new drinking law.
His partner, Angelo Donadio, had to make a phone call to verify that “misrepresentation of age” – fake ID possession – “is still on the books.” “No one can give us a straight answer,” Earls said.
Regardless of the law’s status, Earls said he understands college students will drink, so he is more concerned with keeping them safe than creating a mess of legal problems.
“As soon as you get cuffs on, you’ve got trouble at school. We know people mess up, so we try not to burn you,” Earls said. “We’re really out here trying to keep you safe.”
Earls also said that as far as alcohol violations go, GW is definitely the tamest school in the city.
“Each school has its own thing,” Earls said. “GW is the most peaceful, and Georgetown is definitely the alcohol, drinking, partying school. AU is more of the drugs, but at GW we don’t have a problem.”
MPD 2nd District Commander Robert Contee, whose department has jurisdiction over GW, Georgetown, American University and the University of D.C., said investigating underage drinking is “a priority.”
“We’re going to try to cover as much ground as we possibly can,” Contee said in an interview last week. “If we have information about a specific location where underage drinking is taking place … that matter will certainly be investigated.”
He also said it is important that officers understand the changes in the law.
He said, “We have to be very careful now in enforcement of (the law), and it’s my responsibility that my officers understand what the rules of the game are.”
