Flyers Cautious After 11 Arrested in Sting for Serving Alcohol to Underage Students
James Tong | Opinions Editor
Eleven University of Dayton students were arrested the night of Nov. 14 on misdemeanor charges involving the use or possession of alcohol by underage persons at three bars near campus. The arrests resulted from an Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) operation that involved undercover officers that took place at Flanagan’s Pub, Rusty Taco and Milano’s Pizzeria.
Four were arrested at Milano’s on Brown Street. Three of them were caught possessing intoxicating liquor while underage, while one had beer—all in violation of Ohio’s alcohol laws. All four were charged with possessing fake IDs—an offense that escalates the severity of the situation.
The use of fake IDs is becoming an increasingly common method for underage students to access alcohol.
Two individuals were arrested at Rusty Taco on Brown Street, often called R-Taco or just Rusty, on a charge of possessing liquor under the age of 21.
Flanagan’s Pub on East Stewart Street, commonly known as Flanny’s by UD students, saw five arrests—four for underage alcohol possession and one for selling or furnishing alcohol to someone under 21.
Along with the arrests, Flanagan’s was issued an administrative violation notice for selling or furnishing alcohol to underage individuals, which could result in penalties from the Ohio Liquor Control Commission (OLCC).
“The administrative violation notice is a civil citation issued against a liquor permit,” OIU Enforcement Commander Eric W. Wolf, the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s (ODPS), told Flyer News.
“These cases are presented before the [OLCC] at a later date. The commission makes a final determination on the violation and any penalty – monetary forfeiture, suspension days, or revocation of the liquor permit,” Cmdr. Wolf said.
Wolf also said that all of the individuals were processed on the scene and released, meaning that none of those arrested were taken to the Montgomery County Jail.
Despite the events occuring off campus, Associate Vice President, Division of Student Development & Dean of Students, Christine Schramm, discussed how a student’s academic record is affected when the student is cited or charged with an alcohol violation off-campus.
“It’s important to understand that the student Code of Conduct applies to students at all times, even when not on UD property,” She explained. “Therefore, students can be documented through the university conduct process when engaging in behavior that may be in violation of the Code of Conduct. Student disciplinary records are kept separate from academic transcripts, but are considered educational records.”
Underage drinking has been a topic of discussion in America for quite some time. In 1984, Congress enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, mandating that states increase their minimum drinking age to 21 by 1986.
Prior to 1984, the legal drinking age varied by state. Some states kept the age at 21, while others lowered it to 18, 19, or 20. By 1988, every state and the District of Columbia had complied with the new law, raising their minimum drinking age to 21.
“I believe for many students, the perception of alcohol is that it is a ‘rite of passage’ or even a ‘must’ in college,” Schramm replied when asked about the perception of alcohol use among college students.
“However, I believe for some, the perception is they have a ‘right’ to drink because they are in college. So when students are held accountable for drinking underage or abusing alcohol they get upset, frustrated or confused by the reaction and consequences.”
Ironically, Kennedy Union (KU) at the center of campus, until 2010 was home to a bar for students who were 21. The KU Pub was a place where these students could come together, have a drink, listen to live music and socialize with each other. A former Flyer created a petition on change.org in 2014 to revive the Pub.
The former Flyer stated in the petition’s description that KU Pub, “became a University of Dayton staple. Underage students looked forward to the day that they could participate in [the] tradition.”
After the events of Nov. 14, there was a general sense of fear amongst those underaged students.
“I’m scared to go out now,” one student said. “There’s just so much to think about now since [the OIU] arrested people.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: James Tong is Flyer News Opinions editor and produced this article as a member of the Flyer News Practicum, a course offered through the Department of Communication as a vehicle for students to gain practical experience in the media arts. The goal of the Practicum is for students to produce publishable work for FlyerNews.com.