Hanover police will not put undercover police officers at college parties after students, faculty, and alumni of Dartmouth College urged town officials to cancel the plans.
Police cite an increase in underage drinking arrests and students’ high blood alcohol levels as the reasons for the initial plan.
The “compliance checks” would have involved an undercover officer younger than 21 going to a party. If the officer is served alcohol, the police can arrest the student serving alcohol and fine the owner of the house.
Dartmouth students insist that the initiative would go too far and would create more problems for students.
Ethan Lubka, of the Greek Leadership Council, says that the fines for underage drinking could range from $20,000 to $100,000. The compliance checks would also create a culture of suspicion and drive underage drinking off campus, where it is more dangerous, said Lubka.
However, Hanover Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone states that students must make immediate changes or the plan will be reconsidered.
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Issue: Student Governance and Campus Administration