Underage drinking crackdown in Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - Amherst police cited 13 UMass students for alcohol related incidents last night, according to the Hampshire Gazette.

Amherst Police Sgt. Gabriel Ting told 22News it wasn't anything unusual for the first weekend back to school.

Amherst police say they're trying to crack down on underage drinking. 

22News discovers if students are taking that message seriously.  

Amherst is a college town.  Between September and May it has a bustling nightlife.  But if you're under 21, Amherst police are trying to make sure you're not drinking..  

"I think it will be taken seriously especially for the new coming freshman, I know the R.A.'s were scaring us a little bit with having alcohol in the dorms, I think it is getting across", says UMass freshman Sara Passafiume.

Police Sgt. Todd Lang told 22News the goal of this campaign is to improve the quality of life in areas that have a history alcohol law violations.  

"I would hope that it would help because I do think underage drinking can be a big problem", says UMass freshman Emily Gonzalez.  She continues, "Because it's that new found freedom and kids are doing things they wouldn't normally do under their parents watch."

Sgt. Lang says officers will be patrolling in cruisers, on bikes, and will even go undercover.  That Zoo Mass reputation may be losing steam as well.  The state's flagship University did not make this years Princeton Review list of top 20 party schools.  Number 1 - West Virginia.
 
"It's probably a good thing for the parents and the students safety and everything.  It's a better thing for the school's reputation because prestigious schools won't be seen as a party school, but it's more fun for the students that's the only bad thing", says Passafiume.

The campaign to curb underage drinking began Thursday night and will run through the end of September.