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Guest column: Celebrate safely during proms, graduations

Posted at 8:26 am April 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

Paul White

Paul White

It’s that time of year again. Proms, graduations, and other events mark the end of the school year. Memories of these wonderful occasions will be with our youth for the rest of their lives.

Our young students headed to the prom and from graduations are reminded not to drink and drive. Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be out in force on prom nights and after graduations. DUI, illegal drugs, and underage drinking will get you a stay at the county jail.

The Sheriff Department also reminds teens that getting caught drinking while under the age of 21 can result in losing a driver’s license, getting suspended from school, ejected from sports teams, and even banned from graduation ceremonies.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department wants to remind youth and their parents to celebrate safely during the prom and graduation season.

Establishments that sell alcohol are reminded to check identification. Underage sales and purchases will be prosecuted. Sheriff’s deputies will conduct an information campaign with our local beer permit holders to remind them of the importance of carding to ID all beer purchases. Spot checks of beer sellers will also be done, and not only will the clerks who sell beer be cited, but underage purchasers will be charged as well.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting saturation patrols throughout the prom and graduation weeks. This effort is supported by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: alcohol, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, beer, drugs, DUI, Governor’s Highway Safety Office, graduatoin, Paul White, prom, saturation patrols, school year, underage drinking, underage sales

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