With Long Beach high school graduation ceremonies taking place next week, the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) is warning graduates and parents about the dangers of underage drinking.
Underage drinkers are more likely to involve themselves in unsafe behavior, or become a victim of a crime due to vulnerability. The effects of alcohol impairs judgment, affects physical coordination, and may prevent people from maintaining control of their bodies.
It may also cause an individual to ignore their morals and values, resulting in poor decision-making such as driving under the influence. These factors can also lead to minors being more susceptible to being victimized because they may be considered an easy target.
Therefore, LBPD is strongly encouraging graduates and their friends and families to plan celebrations with safety in mind.
With summer vacation beginning soon, police would also like to remind young adults and parents that the city’s curfew law will be strictly enforced. Section 9.58.010 of the Long Beach Municipal Code states: “It is unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen (18) years to remain in or upon any ‘public place’ as defined in Section 9.02.090, between the hours of 10pm until 6am the following day.”
LBPD takes curfew violations seriously. Experience has shown that children who are on the street after curfew are more likely to become victims of violent crime and also are more likely to become involved in criminal behavior.
LBPD reminds parents that it is important for them to know where their children are at all times, and to ensure they get home safely before curfew. Additionally, the hours of the Youth Services Section have been adjusted to accommodate any enforcement action.
On Friday, June 4, the Long Beach Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Section conducted a DUI saturation patrol throughout Long Beach. This saturation patrol operated from 6pm until 2pm Saturday morning, with eight (8) additional police officers patrolling the City looking for impaired drivers.
During the operation, the following arrests and citations were issued: five DUI arrests; one felony no-bail arrest; one traffic warrant arrest; three misdemeanor arrests; five unlicensed driver traffic citations; five suspended license traffic citations; 11 parking citations; five vehicles impounded; and 81 miscellaneous traffic citations.
DUI saturation patrols are a vital component in the fight against impaired drivers. Nationally, impaired driving from alcohol and/or drugs causes one death every 30 minutes and one injury every two minutes. Saturation patrols have been proven to reduce impaired driving-related collisions by removing these drivers from our streets.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Safety Administration. “When more people drive sober and safely, lives are saved. It’s just that simple,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic safety. “This grant will help make Long Beach just that much safer of a place to work and live.”
