This fall, students at the University of Minnesota are getting a different kind of alcohol education–this time from their university police.
With the rise of craft beer and wine in Minnesota, the Department of Public Safety along with University of Minnesota Police are concerned that student’s don’t know their ABV’s, which can lead to tragic consequences even for the most experienced drinker.
University police have taken over some of the education and implemented steps to teach students about alcohol consumption and abuse. Officers on campus passed out “Abusive Drinking: What You Should Know” fliers to educate students about responsible drinking and reminding them to use transportation services like Gopher Chauffeur or campus escort to get home safely.
“We’ve seen stories of impaired college students falling and severely injuring themselves, students who pass out in the cold and suffer major physical damage, or worse.”said U Police Chief Matt Clark at a DPS news conference Monday at Library Bar in Minneapolis.
U Police have also instituted Operation Last Call, an initiative to catch underage drinkers. Clark said since its inception, the number of citations for underage drinking has fallen by 40 percent. The message, Clark said, is that students need to learn what their limitations are and know what they are drinking.
In the same news conference, Clark explained the police department’s “911 Amnesty” policy, where students, regardless of age, can call the police for a safe escort home or to help a friend and not worry about penalization.
While many view the words “college students” and “drinking” as synonymous, it seems the added push for alcohol education is more needed than your average party campus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota has a growing overcompensation problem as an average 73 people each year die in the state from alcohol poisoning.
“The safety of students is our biggest priority,” affirmed Clark.
Cheers to safe drinking, Minnesota!
[h/t Star Tribune]
