When he comes upon a party where underage kids are drinking, Mark Herron, a member of the Howard County Police Department?s alcohol enforcement unit, has his routine down.
“I try to contain the kids before they make a run for it,” said Herron, who is known as the “teen partybusting cop.”
“If you don?t contain them, you are basically in a foot pursuit with these kids, and that?s something I don’t really want.”
Herron, who has been a member of the enforcement unit since October 2002, recently received the department?s top DUI enforcer award for arresting 106 people suspected of driving under the influence, said police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn.
As prom season approaches, the department plans to step up the enforcement of underage drinking laws, Llewellyn said, adding that Police Chief G. Wayne Livesay has notified area hotel managers that they should not rent rooms to minors.
“Along with underage drinking, there is a lot of problems that comes along with it,” Herron said. “Young kids with alcohol: Usually, it?s a bad combination.”
Herron was inspired to join the alcohol enforcement unit after viewing the effects of underage drinking at several automobile accidents.
When not breaking up underage drinking parties ? the number of parties decreases when school is in session and spikes during the summer time ? Herron prowls county roads for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol.
