Now that another senior class has graduated from Dublin High School and Summer Break has started for everyone in the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD), the City of Dublin would like to remind everyone about the recently adopted “Social Host” Ordinance. Designed to curb underage drinking, the new regulations and fines were designed to curb underage drinking. The City holds persons “hosting” parties involving alcohol responsible for making sure that guests drinking alcohol are 21 or older.

The ordinance gives law enforcement an additional tool to combat underage drinking. Violation of the ordinance is an infraction. Infractions are punishable by a fine of $100 for the first violation, a fine of $200 for the second violation, and a fine of $500 for each additional violation within one year of the first violation. The responsible persons need not be present at the gathering in order to be deemed in violation of its provisions.

Based on data compiled by California Department of Public Health, 29% of 11th graders, 15.8% of 9th graders, and 6.4% of 7th graders report that they have had at least one episode of binge drinking in the past 30 days. The Dublin community is very aware of these sobering statistics and recognizes underage drinking as a growing epidemic.

On October 31, 2009, Dublin Police Services received a call from a homeowner on Royal Pines Way around 10:30PM. Teenagers who appeared to have been drinking crashed a well-attended Halloween party held by the home owner. According to Dublin Police Lieutenant Kurt von Savoye, the allegedly drunk teenage party crashers had dispersed by the time the officers arrived on the scene. Dublin Police Services found no evidence that anyone had been drinking at the Halloween party. The responding officers did find a girl a short distance away. The girl appeared extremely intoxicated and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Witnesses nearby said she had been dropped off at the scene, but the officers remained uncertain how she got there.

The events that transpired at the Halloween party on Royal Pines Way prompted the City of Dublin and DUSD to hold the Free Parent Seminar on Underage Drinking earlier this year.

The City plans to distribute information about this new ordinance to schools, neighborhood groups, and other organizations. For additional information, please contact Lieutenant Kurt Von Savoye at (925)833-6670 or visit the City’s website at www.ci.dublin.ca.us.