Local Youth and Police Kick Off Public Awareness Campaign

The Arlington Heights Police Department in cooperation with the Link Together Coalition, the Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect and Wheeling Police Departments, kicked off the "YOUR ACTIONS MATTER!" campaign, which is a youth-led initiative that is designed to change adult attitudes about giving alcohol to minors.

Locally, the event took place on Monday, April 19th. This event focused on educating the public about why providing alcohol to minors is unsafe but also illegal, and is a part of National Prevention Week which took place May 9- 15th.

Local high school and middle school students take part in this annual movement of youth working with participating stores to spread the word that "YOUR ACTIONS MATTER!" This Spring event followed precautionary measures to distribute material safely and successfully with the help of students from Saint Viator High School, along with Arlington Heights Police Officers. Volunteers placed bottle hangers and posters in participating businesses that sell liquor. The campaign materials serve as a reminder that preventing underage drinking is everyone's responsibility.

A strong community message is sent when local businesses take responsibility for speaking out against underage drinking. Allowing minors to consume alcohol in your home, or any place under your control, carries the same penalties under the law as furnishing the alcohol, even if you do not supply the alcohol. It is important to remember that providing alcohol to minors or allowing them to drink in a place under your control, is against the law all year round.