Arrest of Underage Drinkers Leads to Call for Responsibility in Prom Season

Muskego Police made several arrests in the past week for underage drinking, and issued a timely message on responsible celebrations in the height of prom season.

Muskego Police Lt. Dave Constantineau said prom, which is Saturday for Muskego High School, is a time when "we, as parents, get to see how nicely our kids can clean up; and when we finally begin to realize that they really are growing up. But growing up comes with grown up responsibilities that we have to make sure our kids understand. Unfortunately, some kids, and parents, believe it is normal and acceptable to celebrate prom with alcohol," he said.

Underscoring the point were several entries into this week's crime report:

• Saturday, April 21 - An anonymous complaint of an underage drinking party on Regency Ct. led to a 17 year old Muskego girl being cited for underage drinking and a 16 year old Muskego boy being arrested for violation of absolute sobriety.

• Sunday April 22 – A noise complaint in the S8200 block of North Cape Rd. led to a 20 year old Muskego man receiving an alcohol referral, and 19 and 20 year old Muskego women receiving underage drinking tickets.

• Wednesday, April 25 – A reckless driving complaint in the area of Tans Dr. and Racine Ave. led to several underage drinking arrests.

A ticket for underage drinking starts at $271.50 and goes up for multiple offenders, Constantineau explained.  A citation for absolute sobriety or drunk driving results in having your license suspended for three months, a $389.50 citation and will four demerit points assessed on your license.

If a passenger under the age of 16 is in the vehicle at the time of the violation, the cost of the citation increases to $400 with four points, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.

However, Constantineau said parents need to re-think responsibility.

The parents who do the "responsible thing" by hosting a post prom party and allowing drinking face prosecution as well, said Constantineau.

"It is true that 'Those Who Host, Lose The Most.' Providing a safe haven for kids to drink can lead to criminal charges for the parents, not to mention the civil liability if someone is hurt or killed," he explained. "The 'responsible thing' is to provide a safe place for kids to get together, and make sure there is no drinking. If we don‘t do this, that photo album that is supposed to chronicle life from birth, to kindergarten, to sports, to prom, to graduation, to grandkids, may well end up incomplete. Let‘s stay safe, and make sure everyone gets to look forward to graduation."