Award for enforcing underage drinking laws

Coalition Coordinator Heidi Matheny announced to local Historic City News reporters that the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office received an honorable mention, runner up award for the law enforcement agency of the year, at the 13th National Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Leadership Conference in Orlando.

The PACT Prevention Coalition nominated the sheriff’s office for its significant work in helping reduce and prevent underage alcohol use in St. Johns County. The award was presented on behalf of the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center to Art May, Director of Law Enforcement for Sheriff David B. Shoar.

The sheriff’s office was recognized for its use of creative and innovative strategies to reduce and prevent underage drinking. These include: underage alcohol compliance checks, the creation of a training program to clarify the options for deputies when dealing with underage drinking violations, partnering with the coalition to create the Know the Law guidebook for parents and youth and the creation of The Party’s Over campaign which urges community members to anonymously report underage drinking parties.

“We were delighted to see the sheriff’s office recognized for the admirable work they do in helping reduce and prevent underage alcohol use in our community,” said Matheny.

PACT Prevention Coalition is dedicated to making St. Johns County a healthy substance-free community for our youth through prevention, advocacy, choices and teamwork.

For more information about PACT Prevention Coalition call (904) 829-6261

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph by PACT Prevention Coalition