Reinstating Operation Prevent would benefit all

Reinstating Operation Prevent could be a benefit to students, bar owners and local police departments around the Syracuse University bar scene.

The program, funded through grants, aimed to cut down on underage drinking and was responsible for the bar raid that eventually shut down Maggie’s Restaurant and Sports Bar in 2009. But the grant money ran out and there wasn’t money in the budget to keep it going.

Since the program ended, it has been up to the bar owners and bouncers to be vigilant about fake IDs. The relationship between bar owners and the Syracuse Police Department weakened after the program ended, SPD Lt. Shannon Trice said.

But it is not enough to rely on bar owners to be vigilant, as students at SU do drink illegally by using fake IDs. Part of this is word of mouth. Students talk about where they should go and try out their fake IDs for themselves. If they get in once, it serves as positive reinforcement to try again.

If a bar is raided, the consequences for hosting underage students using fake IDs are strict. The students are breaking the law and can also get in trouble.

Reinstating the program, even if it is in small steps, could begin to change the culture on campus and cut down on the use of fake identification. If bar owners and police officers reinstate weekly meetings, it will encourage the bar owners to take the issue more seriously. If bouncers are properly trained on spotting fake IDs and do not let students using fake IDs in, the culture of the campus will change.