The following was sent by the Watertown Youth Coalition:

On Dec. 12, 2011, the Watertown Police Department (WPD) in conjunction with the Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC), a program of Wayside Multi-Service Center, along with the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) collaborated to hold an Alcohol Licensing Forum. The alcohol licensing forum was an informational event related to underage alcohol use and responsible alcohol service for all establishments in Watertown that serve or sell alcohol. Over 45 people from numerous segments of the Watertown community participated in this unique event. Attendees included Watertown licensing board members and local bar, restaurant, and liquor store owners.

The event was organized by WPD’s Detective Sergeant Tom Grady with Chief Edward Deveau making opening remarks to the attendees. Wayside Multi Service Center staff Stephanie Sunderland-Ramsey, Sara Berkowitz and Melanie St. Pierre and two WYC High School Peer Leaders, Tessa Colameta and Michelle Gallego discussed their work and how it relates to underage alcohol use prevention. They shared statistics from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) administered to Watertown High and Middle School students. YRBS results show that underage drinking among students continues to decrease with roughly two thirds of WHS students surveyed reporting they did not drink alcohol in the past 30 days. Additionally, youth from the WYC Peer Leadership Program shared their perspectives regarding their work as peer leaders and why they choose to refrain from alcohol use and how they make healthy decisions. In addition, Caroline Guarino-Willchoski, Senior Investigator and Training Coordinator for the ABCC, presented about ABCC’s guidelines, rules, and regulations related to responsible alcohol service specifically not serving or selling alcohol to minors, people under the age of 21.

Over the past three years the WPD, with support from the WYC, have been doing compliance checks with all establishments licensed to serve and sell alcohol. The results from the last round of checks that took place in the late summer of 2011 were positive, with 29 out of 31 restaurants and 12 out of 13 liquor stores passing by not serving to underage youth. These compliance checks and the awareness raised by the forum are all positive actions keeping the Watertown Community safer by protecting youth and their families.

For more information on substance use prevention efforts in Watertown please contact: Melanie St. Pierre, Community Organizer, Wayside Multi-Service Center 617-926-3600 x307