It would also be really boring to complain about how I have yet to step within a 30-foot radius of a Chapel Hill bar this semester in dire fear of being caught by the enforcers. So I'll refrain.
And it might be a little inappropriate for the City columnist to whine about how ridiculous it is that we can choose our president, fight and die for our country, get married even -- but still can't enjoy a beer. So I'll save that gripe for the State & National columnist.
But I am going to question if making tons of arrests on the first week of school is the best way to enforce the alcohol laws. More time and energy should be focused on curbing irresponsible drinking than punishing underage consumers. The fact is that unfortunately, not all underage drinkers can handle themselves responsibly -- but turning 21 doesn't mean that you suddenly become more responsible.
Chapel Hill Police Chief Gregg Jarvies was quoted last week as saying, with regard to last weekend's strong officer presence, "When there's more officers than people on the streets, you're going to see an increase in arrests."
Now maybe he exaggerated a tad. But an influx of police presence in the Franklin Street area is bound to deplete the coverage of cops on the roads who should be looking for drunk drivers. These irresponsible drinkers are the ones who really need to be identified and punished, not the 20-year-olds buying a six-pack from their local convenience store.
The fact is, underage consumption is a problem that isn't going to go away. Instead of hitting up the bars this week, underage drinkers have enjoyed alcoholic beverages in the comfort of their own homes, where they can drink more for significantly less money and without fear of getting caught.
Which leads to the ultimate question: Are the ALE and police doing their jobs? Well, if their job is to punish those who (stupidly) go out to bars underage in the first week of school, they are doing a fabulous job. Last weekend alone, the ALE and Chapel Hill police combined efforts to make 72 arrests and 93 charges. That's up from only 20 citations during last year's first week of school, by the way.
But if their job is to curb underage and irresponsible drinking overall -- which should be their ultimate goal -- they've got some work to do.
Next week, the students who are worried about being busted for their fake IDs will be back out at the bars, virtually unconcerned about the ALE officers busting them. Why? Because their presence won't be as strong.
