In the first two months of the Indiana State Excise Police's Intensified College Enforcement Program at DePauw University, 36 tickets have been issued in Greencastle, Ind.
The Intensified College Enforcement Program (ICE), an initiative created by the Indiana State Excise Police and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, began on Feb. 6. The program, which will last throughout the end of the semester, aims to reduce underage drinking on college campuses. DePauw, along with Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. and Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. are the three schools currently being targeted by Excise.
The program places Excise officers in plainclothes and uniforms in locations where underage possession or consumption of alcohol is more likely to occur. Excise officers have been positioned near liquor stores, bars and taverns and other locations where underage drinking is prevalent.
"We are mostly around places with alcohol permits or places that have encourage underage drinking or where underage drinking has happened in the past," said Corporal Travis Thickstun, head of media relations for the Indiana State Excise Police. "We are basically targeting bars, liquor stores, any party locations."
According to Thickstun, depending on the circumstances, an Excise can officer can enter a party at a fraternity house or other living space if they feel such action is warranted and the party appears to be open to the general public.
"If excise sees a violation from off private property, then they can come on the property," said Angie Nally, director of Public Safety. "They can enter if a fraternity is holding an event that appears to be open to the public. Other than that, they cannot."
The two main issues that Excise officers have been giving tickets for are minor in consumption and minor in possession. Other frequent offenses have included furnishing to a minor and the use of fake identification.
In February, three tickets were given in the Greencastle area, and in March, the number of tickets given rose to 33. The Indiana State Excise Police does not have any available information or statistics for the month of April.
Tickets are not solely being issued to DePauw students. Ticket totals also include residents of nearby areas.
"When I last spoke with Excise a month or so ago, they said that less than half of those ticketed were DePauw students," Nally said. "Because Greencastle is such a small area, Excise has expanded their focus. They are also stationing themselves at alcohol stores in areas such as Filmore, Bainbridge and Crawfordsville."
A person may be stopped by Excise due to reasonable suspicion, but probable cause is necessary in order for a ticket to be given or an arrest to be made.
"If a reasonable person to believe that a criminal act could be afoot, then we will stop someone," Thickstun said. "We try to look for people that look like they are not 21 that are attempting to purchase alcohol or are at a bar or a tavern. We are also looking for adults providing for minors."
The amount of the fine issued by ticketing depends on both circumstances of the incident and the judicial programs that the county has in place.
According to Thickstun, the majority of tickets given thus far have been in Muncie and in Bloomington, not in Greencastle.
The Indiana State Excise Police's goal for the program is to see a definitive change in the number of underage drinking issues cited both on and around targeted college campuses. If the program is successful in undercutting underage drinking, the Indiana State Excise Police plan to consider extending the program to other college campuses throughout the state.
"It's too early to give a
ram is as successful as we'd like it to be. What we want is to see a change in the number of underage drinking issues," Thickstun said. "It will take time to get hard evidence and the numbers, but so far I think it's making an impact."
Nally hopes that excise will conduct a report at some point in the future to clearly see the application of the initiative and measure the program's outcomes.
"I honestly don't know exactly how successful the program has been so far, as far as numbers go," Nally said. "I met with Excise about a month ago and asked for more information about what they are doing, but I still do not have that information."
Despite the fact that the Indiana Excise Police does not yet have tangible evidence that the program is making an impact on underage drinking, both Excise and DePauw Public Safety and administration believe that the program is effectively raising student awareness and influencing drinking behaviors.
"Students have talked about noticing changes in other students' behavior," said Cindy Babington, dean of student life. "Students have said that they have noticed people being more cautious."
DePauw has been working to raise awareness and to educate students about Excises' initiatives and intentions on campus and how to properly conduct themselves so as to avoid encounters with excise.
"We have been trying to make suggestions to students about how to avoid run-ins with Excise," Babington said. "Don't be in public spaces with open containers. Don't use fake IDs. Students need to be cautious about how they are presenting themselves. Be prudent."
Thickstun heavily emphasized Excise's zero tolerance policy and adherence to strictly enforcing the law.
"What I tell people as far as "safe partying" goes, is don't break the law," Thickstun said. "We won't answer how to break the law and not get caught. Students shouldn't be worried about the presence of Excise because if they are not trying to hide something or do something illegal then they will have no risk of getting into trouble."
Nally hopes that despite the presence of Excise, students will still feel comfortable approaching law enforcement and maintaining an open, conversational campus atmosphere.
"We don't want to encourage students to be afraid of law enforcement, but an effort to reduce high risk drinking would cut a lot of other problems," Nally said. "Even if a small percentage of high risk drinking is reduced, I'd say it's effective."
