Illinois law enforcement agency and parents team up to stop underage drinking

Parents across the nation are being called upon to help law enforcement curb underage drinking.

As part of a new program, parents from the Chicago area are banding together in conjunction with local law enforcement to help with a patrolling effort in regards to underage drinking, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The program, which was piloted last year, uses parents to patrol during proms and graduation days. Law enforcement did not assign any parents to look for underage drinking house parties. Officials said that they hope more than 50 parents sign up for four-hour shifts during the weekend when the program is official launched in May.

“The message is that parents are involved and care enough to watch these things,” Frank Kaminski, Park Ridge police chief, told the news source. “It is not just a police problem, it is a community problem and we are a part of the community to try to address it.”

For teens who struggle with alcohol use, boarding schools may offer education and family therapy to help achieve behavioral success.

According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, almost 15 percent of teens between ages 12 and 17 consume alcohol on a regular basis.