Pubdate: Tue, 19 Jul 2005
Source: York Dispatch, The (PA)
Copyright: 2005 York Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.yorkdispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1940
Author: Kathy Stevens,  http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

TIP LINE TACKLES DRUGS, ALCOHOL

Students Urged To Call, Report Dealers

A series of talks about teenage drug and alcohol use among South 
Eastern School District students prompted police to take matters into 
their own hands.

The Borough of Stewartstown is footing the bill for a 24-hour tip 
line that so far received two reports about area drug dealers, said 
Stewartstown police Chief Charles Reid.

The department, along with more than 1,000 citizens in the school 
district, took a hard look at drug and underage drinking problems in May.

A drug-sniffing dog punctuated that meeting with a search of 
Kennard-Dale High School on June 1. The search resulted in the 
expulsion of one student whose locker contained drug paraphernalia. 
The tip line is the latest effort in an attempt to hinder the flow of 
booze and drugs to the area's teens.

Supply chain: Rumors about the drug and alcohol supply vary. Reid has 
heard that some parents supply kids with marijuana and alcohol. But 
he also believes the supply chain is far-reaching.

"The kids are buying (booze) somewhere," Reid said. "They're not 
getting it from mom's liquor cabinet all the time."

Police launched a campaign heralding the installation of the tip line 
last Tuesday. Media has helped get the word out as have fliers posted 
throughout the community.

Previous tip line: Southern Regional Police Department is 
disconnecting a crime tip line wired since 1998. Despite hard-hitting 
campaigns that included refrigerator magnets, catchy slogans and 
partnership with the school district, the cost of the phone line 
never paid off.

"We just haven't received any calls," said Chief James Childs. "We've 
advertised at the schools hoping kids would call in and give us 
information, but we get more calls on our regular phone line."

Reid said he's willing to give the tip line a chance.

"We've just started it," Reid said. "We'll have to see how it works."
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