In The News...
WMTW Channel 8 - Interview with Amy Anderson from the Falmouth Forecaster
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30160974/detail.html?taf=port
WCSH Channel 6 News Coverage of the Anonymous Tip Link
Anonymous tipping through texting
FALMOUTH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- There's a new way to offer up anonmyous tips about drug use or underage drinking in southern Maine, all it takes is a quick message.
WGME Channel 13 - Anonymous tip line to stop underage drinking
Reprint from www.WGME.com To view video, click here.
Stopping teenage drinking parties and saving lives. Those are the ideas behind a new, anonymous tip line unveiled Tuesday. With a text or a tip submitted online, teens can let authorities know about an underage drinking party, without revealing their identity to police. A number of law enforcement agencies and community programs came together on this plan, an internet based program that works in real time. A dispatcher takes the tip and passes along the information to officers in the field. Organizers say if this can keep one teen from drinking and driving, they'll consider the program a success. People can text "ucantip" to 274637, submit a tip to a police department's website or send one online at cascobaycan.org.
WMTW TV 8 - Anonymous Tip Line Video
To view the video, click here and then skip to 2:35 minutes into the video!
Towns roll out text-a-tip to combat underage drinking - By Emily Parkhurst - Jun 22, 2011 12:00 am
(Reprint from the Falmouth Forecaster)
FALMOUTH — In an effort to curb drinking by young people, six area towns are participating in a new text-a-tip program.
The program, organized by Casco Bay Create Awareness Now and paid for by a grant, allows people to text, go online, or use a smart-phone app to let police know about underage drinking parties.
"We hosted information sessions with (parent teacher organizations) at schools," said Casco Bay CAN Community Director Beth Blakeman-Pohl, "and what kept coming back to us was that they wanted an anonymous tip line."
Blakeman-Pohl said one parent even told her about a high school student who told school officials about an upcoming party and was so harassed by fellow students after the fact that the family considered moving.
"So we asked, would you use this (text-a-tip) and parents said yes," Blakeman-Pohl said.
The participating towns are Falmouth, Cumberland, Freeport, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth and Pownal. The Falmouth Police Department is the regional dispatch center for the program; training and overtime will be paid for by the grant.
"We will divert the information through the Web to our dispatch center. The dispatch will look at it and determine where it goes, then send it to the contact person there's who's available right now," Falmouth Lt. John Kilbride said.
Kilbride said there is no way for the dispatchers to trace the tips, since they come in via a website, not a telephone call.
As for the possibility young people might use this for retribution or to harass each other, Kilbride said the dispatchers and departments are already careful about checking on tips and weeding out those that are suspicious.
"It's information, not probable cause," he said. "We can't use this to go get a warrant."
Kilbride said he hopes the program will allow police departments to stop parties before they start.
"Any time I can stop a party, my officers don't have to go out, no one gets hurt, it's better," he said.
By next week, all the towns should have links to the tip website on their own websites. Tipsters can also go to cascobaycan.org or download the free Tipsubmit Mobile app for iPhones, iPods and Android smart phones.
To send a tip, text the word UCANTIP and your tip to 274637.
"We don't expect a lot, but anything that can help a family know that someone in their home a is planning a party before it starts, is good," Blakeman-Pohl said.
Emily Parkhurst can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or eparkhurst@theforecaster.net.
Follow her on Twitter: @emilyparkhurst.
(NECN: Marnie MacLean) - A new drink is raising concerns. It's called 'Blast'. Leaders in several states say it has way too much alcohol in it, and say it's marketed towards kids. This is YouTube video of a launch party for rapper Snoop Dogg... also the celebrity face touting the newest drink from Pabst Brewing Company called Blast. In a company webcast also on Youtube...Pabst explains the concept of the drink. Blast comes in 23 and a half ounce cans that have 12 percent alcohol.
Maine's Attorney General says Blast is being called binge in a can. And drinking just one is the same as having five beers. William Schneider says for a company to promote a product like this to young people is reprehensible. Beth Blakeman-Pohl is with Casco Bay CAN....an organization that educates parents and teens about the dangers of underage drinking. Beth Blakeman-Pohl--Casco Bay C.A.N.: "We know that 90 percent of youth are consuming alcohol under the age of 21 that is how they are consuming...in a binge drinking fashion."
In a statement, the marketing officer for Pabst said "Blast is only meant to be consumed by those above legal drinking age...as with all Pabst products our marketing efforts for Blast are focused on conveying the message of drinking responsibly. But critics argue that message might get lost in colorful packaging and sweet flavorings like strawberry lemonade and raspberry watermelon. Young people we talked to said it looks like a can of soda....and that could get someone in a lot of trouble. 17 attorneys general...including those in Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut...have sent a letter to Pabst asking the company to stop selling Blast or change it so one can doesn't pack such a powerful punch.