ellen snelling m.s., co-chair, tampa alcohol coalition

Ellen Snelling M.S., Co-chair, Tampa Alcohol Coalition

er.snelling@verizon.net web site: www.tampatac.com

History of TAC Started as a committee of the Hillsborough County

Anti Drug Alliance in 2001

Concerns about underage drinking in Ybor City and high rate of alcohol-related crashes and fatalities in Hillsborough County

Mission: To prevent underage/ high risk drinking and alcohol-related consequences

TAC grew from 5 members in 2001 to 100 in 2006

Tampa Alcohol CoalitionOver 100 members: Courts Law enforcement Schools Universities and colleges Parents Students Businesses Prevention and treatment

agencies MADD volunteers

BINGE DRINKING

Increases Risk of:

Assault Rape Alcohol poisoning Car crashes Drowning Suicide Injuries and falls Fatalities

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s DUI and Underage Drinking Law Enforcement

7,054 DUI arrests made in Hillsborough County in 2006533 DUI arrests- persons under age 21

#1 in the State in DUI arrests

231

334

452477 464

496 482 486

212195182

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

DUI arrests- 18 to 20 year olds in Hillsborough County

18 to 20 year olds made up 4.6% of the licensed drivers, but comprised 7.6% of DUI arrests and 12.8% of the drinking drivers in alcohol-related crashes (HCSO)

Hillsborough County .02 Violations

• 10 .02 driving violations in 2004

• 79 .02 violations in 2005

• Increase due to Operation Teen Angel

• GIS map made by HCSO Crime Analysis Dept.

HCSO Responsible Vendor- Last Drink Survey

Persons arrested for DUI are asked where they were drinking. Data is recorded- law enforcement investigates problem bars.HCSO Deputy offers resources such as training and safe rides.

GIS Maps to Promote Policy Change:HCSO Helped Amend County Bottle Club Policy in 2005

DUI Education for Offenders

DUI Counterattack

Level I 12 hours of instruction

Level II 21 hours of instruction

Both levels include a substance abuse evaluation

MADD Victim Impact Panel

Hillsborough County’s 3 Pronged DUI Initiative

Enforcement- HCSO BATmobile, frequent sobriety checkpoints and saturations (multi-agency)

Prosecution- State Attorneys Office has a dedicated DUI prosecutor

Treatment- offered for multiple DUI offenders at Tampa Crossroads TRIAD

59

39

757573

79

48

37

51

7466

64

0

25

50

75

100

2002 2003 2004 2005

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Hillsborough Pinellas Orange

Alcohol-Related Fatalities

Hillsborough County alcohol fatalities declined 25% since 2002

Note: Data obtained from Florida DHSMV.

ALCOHOL IS A DRUG-THE #1 DRUG OF CHOICE FOR TEENS

ALCOHOL KILLS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE THAN ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS COMBINED

2005 Underage Drinking Data

19.1%

30.0%

11.5%

22.5%

41.3%

27.2%

16.8%

10.2%

21.3%

39.7%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Alcohol EpisodicHeavy

Drinking (5+Drinks in a

Row)

Drove AfterDrinking

Rodew/Drinker

Marijuana

Hillsborough County Florida Statewide

Source- 2005 YRBSS Survey of high school students- behaviors in past 30 days

Ybor City Entertainment District Ybor City entertainment

district red area on GIS map (highest bar density- 87 liquor licenses within a few blocks)

Most bars allow ages 18+

Many “Drink Specials” offered

Ybor has highest underage drinking arrests in the city

High in assaults and drug arrests GIS map by Dr. Richard Scribner

Tampa Police Department Underage Drinking Law Enforcement Undercover TPD officers and

Alcoholic Beverage agents conduct compliance checks and underage drinking operations in Ybor City

TPD patrols Ybor parking lots and alleys for drinkers

Investigate party buses from universities

Conduct DUI operations in and around Ybor

Collaborate with universities, schools, ABT and TAC

City of Tampa Underage Drinking Arrests 2005

• 313 total underage drinking arrests in Tampa

• 269 (86%) underage drinking arrests in District 3, mainly in Ybor City

reference: TPD Crime Analysis

Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

SUDS: Stop Underage Drinking and Sales, Florida Hotline 1-866-540-SUDS

Compliance checks and underage drinking operations

ABT conducts alcohol source investigations of underage DUIs and DUI crashes (ICARE)

ABT agents collaborate with coalition, MADD, schools, other law enforcement agencies and universities

TAC members observe ABT agents during underage operations

Mock Crash at Blake High School

Underage Drinking Billboard

Alcohol Policy

TAC uses data, GIS maps and survey results to advocate for local alcohol policy change:

Age 21 and up in bars Restricting drink specials 2006 SurveyUSA Survey of 500 Tampa Bay Adults:

71% support age 21 to enter a bar

62% support restricting drink specials

68% support changing bar closing time from 3 AM to 2 AM

Cheap Drink PromotionsDrink Special flyers promoting free and cheap drinks are distributed by bars to college students- in dorm rooms and on car windshields

Greenery Pub- Bar Near USF Campus

• Jan 2006, Greenery Pub requests expansion• Pub markets to USF students, features cheap drink specials•TAC supported homeowners group effort to stop bar expansion• Homeowners presented crime data, testimony, video outside of Pub• May 2006, County Commission denied expansion

Drunk Bitch Friday- Cancelled

Drunk Bitch Friday: Lex and Terry Radio show featured drunk women. Show host Lex gave DB Charlee beer through a beer bong during a DBF broadcast and photos were posted on Lex and Terry website. Women drank on the show until they got drunk. Some threw up. Some passed out.

Because of protests by TAC and other coalitions, DBF was taken off the air in January 2006