Contrary to what many students may believe, the Carbondale chief of police says his force does not make it a point to zealously pursue partiers.

We don’t go out on the weekends looking to bust everyone, Chief of Police Don Strom said.

He said police enter bars, not only to find underage drinkers, but to make their presence known.

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We have a responsibility to make the entertainment environment as safe as possible, he said.

Strom said, however, that the Carbondale police spend a significant amount of time and resources dealing with parties and underage drinking.

Strom’s said the level of police involvement stems from the effects he says alcohol has on the community.

In terms of abused substances, alcohol is the one with the most negative impact, he said.

Strom said studies have indicated that underage drinkers are more likely to use alcohol irresponsibly than adults because the effects of alcohol are enhanced in young people. He said this is one reason lawmakers created age laws for alcohol.

He said people who believe they should be free to destroy themselves with alcohol or make themselves vulnerable disregard the effects their actions have on the community.

Becoming a victim draws on everyone’s resources, he said. We’re not policy setters, he added. We carry out the policy.

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Strom said people who are intoxicated are more likely to make bad decisions, making them more likely to commit or be a victim of a crime.

Besides overdosing and Driving Under the Influence (of alcohol), he said alcohol is often linked with sexual assault, domestic violence, theft and street crimes.

When someone is staggering home from a keg party, they’re more vulnerable to an attack, he said.

Strom said police deal with parties when they notice a party is loud or receive complaints about a party. He said if it is obvious that alcohol is being sold, hosts may find themselves in trouble.

If we find probable cause, we’ll arrest those people, he said.

Strom said keg parties also infringe on the rights of people who do not want drunks, litter and noise being spread throughout their neighborhood.

Strom said he does not believe law enforcement is the solution to the problems alcohol presents.

I think education has to be an effective tool for all of us, he said. There’s a glamour associated with binge drinking that doesn’t hold up the morning after.

Strom said he believes society’s tolerance for alcohol abuse has dwindled as of a result of increased public awareness regarding alcohol.

Despite witnessing a lot of parties in Carbondale, Strom said the image of SIUC as a party school is exaggerated, partly by the media.

Should SIUC have a different reputation than other universities? I’m certainly not convinced of that.

I’ve talked to police chiefs in other college towns and they’ve told me things that sound like horror stories compared to what we have, he said.