Minors Drinking on Party Buses: Police Want Trend to End

 It’s a trend police officers say is catching on, underage drinking on party buses.

A party bus with more than 20 minors was just busted over the weekend.

Those minors rented a party bus and took it to a rural bar in Emerado, thinking they could get away with it.

Instead, they got busted and authorities don’t want to see it happen again.

It’s a trend that Grand Forks police want to stop.

“This particular bus was hired for a 20-year-old’s birthday party. Well goodness sakes you’re not 21 yet so you know it’s kinda like go figure,” says Grand Forks County Sheriff, Bob Rost.

Twenty six of the 28 people on the bus were under 21. Many of them UND students.

After trying to use fake ids to get into Johnny’s Bar in Emerado, the police were called.

“I think a lot of the bars know what to do and how to do it and that’s why Johnny’s Bar called in Emerado because they spotted these fake ids,” says Sheriff Rost.

But these party buses don’t always end at the bars, which lets underage drinkers off the hook.

“These party buses have gone to other bars in Grand Forks and the of–age go into the bars and the underage just stay on the bus,” says Sheriff Rost.

“The problem with these party buses is there’s no regulation. So, no one has to take the blame.”

“Neither the company, the driver or the people leasing the bus hold any responsibility for the alcohol,” says Bill Vasicek with Grand Forks Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.

And that’s something Vasicek wants to change.

Grand Forks Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition has already received more than $300,000 in funding to address underage drinking, and they have to use that money by 2016.

“If we can prevent a tragedy we’ve done our job,” says Vasicek.

A job with its work cut out.

The city of Grand Forks passed a new ordinance in August to hold underage party hosts accountable.

If underage kids drink in a parents house, that parent will now have to pay.