The East Haven Police Department provides the enforcement efforts of the Town of East Haven’s Underage Drinking Prevention grant. Youth Detective Mike D’Amato coordinates these efforts. With the assistance of the State of Connecticut Liquor Control Division and the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking providing trained youth, compliance checks of local businesses that sell alcohol are held on a regular basis. The East Haven Police Department also has completed parking lot patrols and DUI checkpoints as part of the overall work plan of the East Haven Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking.

The enforcement efforts of the EHPD relating to the underage drinking prevention grant:   

October 2004-Grant awarded form the Office of Policy and Management to the Town of East Haven. The grant award is for $ 100,000 ending September 30, 2006.

November 14, 2004- Merchant education training at the Joseph Melillo Middle School.

December 10, 2004- Parking lot patrol checking for underage buyers. 4 minors arrested for purchasing alcohol. 2 adults arrested for drug possession.

February 19, 2005- Compliance checks of all alcohol retail outlets in town. Four stores cited by liquor control agents.

March 18, 2005- Parking lot patrols. One arrest for possession of alcohol by a minor after the purchase in which a fake I.D. was used.

April 7, 2005- The East Haven Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking sponsors a prevention seminar at The Senior Center. Town officials, legislators and coalition members provide information on preventing underage drinking. 

May 3, 2005- Fourteen youth arrested for underage drinking at a party in a town motel room.

May 14, 2005-Surveilance operation for the East Haven High School junior prom. No arrests.

May 31, 2005-Surveilance operation for the East Haven High School senior prom. No arrests.

August 27, 2005- Parking lot patrols of all businesses that sell alcohol in town. No arrests made.

September 26, 2005- Parking lot patrols and bar checks. No arrests made. Underage drinking party found in woods behind D.C. Moore School. All partygoers fled leaving 30 packs of beer. No arrests made. Alcohol was destroyed.

December 20, 2005- Compliance checks with State Liquor Control agents. 12 businesses checked using underage youth provided by the state. Two businesses were cited by the state.

December 30, 2005- DWI checkpoint in town. 456 vehicles stopped. 5 infractions, 3 misdemeanors, 3 DWI arrests.

February 13, 2006- Parking lot patrols. No arrests.

April 7, 2006- Compliance checks with state liquor control agents. 1 arrest of underage youth using a fake ID to purchase alcohol.

May 12, 2006- Parking lot patrols during the East Haven High School junior prom. 4 arrests made for underage drinking.

May 26, 2006- Parking lot patrol.  No arrests for alcohol. 3 arrests for drug possession.

June 6, 2006- Parking lot patrols during East Haven High School senior prom. No arrests for alcohol. 1 arrest for drugs.

The East Haven Police Department will continue compliance checks, parking lot patrols, party patrols and another DWI checkpoint.