Craig Davis, Chief
137 Main Street
Ashland, MA 01721
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-9003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Ashland Police Provide Safety Tips for Graduation
ASHLAND — With graduation less than two weeks away, Chief Craig Davis and the Ashland Police Department would like to remind students and parents to celebrate responsibly.
The Ashland High School graduation will take place on Sunday, June 5 at 1 p.m.
“Congratulations to our graduates!” Chief Davis said. “As students, family and friends prepare to celebrate, we’d like to offer some tips to ensure the memories you make will be only positive.”
Students, please remember:
- To not feel pressured to drink or use drugs. The penalty for a person under 21 years old who possesses alcohol can face a number of sanctions, including criminal prosecution and/or loss of their driver’s license.
- Never get in a car with anyone who has been drinking or is under the influence of drugs.
- Respect yourself and others. Know your boundaries and don’t hesitate to call 911 if you or someone you know is a threat to their own safety or the safety of others.
Parents can help their students celebrate appropriately. Chief Davis recommends that adults:
- Know their teenagers’ plans. Find out where your student is going, who they’re with and what they’ll be doing. Make sure all parties are supervised and that you and the responsible adults share the same expectations about party behavior. Offer to drive your teenager to and from parties.
- Set firm guidelines and expectations for post-ceremony celebrations. Establish a reasonable curfew and check-in periodically. Include consequences for breaking the rules in your discussion.
- If you’re hosting the party, provide non-alcoholic beverages and do not tolerate alcohol or drugs on your property. Keep alcohol at home in a locked cabinet. Under the Social Host Law, parents can be criminally and civilly liable if they allow underage drinking to occur in their homes.
- Keep an eye out for students bringing in backpacks or large purses and unsealed drink bottles, which could be used to conceal alcohol. Put guests’ belongings in a room and watch out for those who may be going into their bags to retrieve alcohol or drugs that could have slipped past you at the door.
- Party crashers should be turned away, as the greater the number of guests at your residence, the harder it will be to maintain a controlled environment.
- At the same time, if an invited guest arrives intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, be prepared to call the person’s parents and/or the police. Alert adults to your rules before the celebration so they are aware of the consequences if their teen becomes a problem.
Thank you for your cooperation and have a safe summer.
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