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YOUTH ENFORCEMENT SQUAD (Y.E.S.)
Enforcing Underage Alcohol Consumption Laws
The Lakeland Police Department is committed to addressing youth alcohol consumption and related crime issues. The Youth Enforcement Squad (YES) was created to augment patrol squads by working areas of the city where kids may be congregating and relaxing with friends, such as movie theaters or parking lots. The officers strive to intervene at times when kids could be making poor choices.
The officers do more than just address juvenile crime. They also work to be a role model for kids in an effort to build on the positive link between young adults and police they foster during the school year.
The key to this innovative squad is the combination of education and enforcement efforts. Each youth arrested is counseled about the consequences of their actions and the dangers associated with underage alcohol possesion and use. Utilizing the same officers for both education and enforcement gives the officers additional credibility in the classroom, and offers a unique insight into the youth alcohol program.
The squad, which is made of School Resource Officers working in plainclothes, locates and blends in with underage drinkers in the locations where young adults tend to drink - parties, concerts, bars, and clubs. In this manner, the officers can identify the persons responsible for providing alcohol to underaged youth and hold them accountable for their actions.
Another important segment of this project involves testing compliance with state liquor licensed retail establishments. Officers use underage buyers to determine which retail establishments are being responsible and checking ID and which ones are irresponsible in protecting our youth. This squad works in coordination with the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
For more information on the Youth Enforcement Squad, please contact:
Sgt. Melanie Dixon
Supervisor of School Resource Unit
Office: 863-834-8962
E-mail: melanie.dixon@lakelandgov.net
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