Statement: Teenagers who do not drink at a party will get a ticket along with the teens who have been drinking

Senior Johnny Bear attempted to sneak out of the back of a house, only to find a flashlight shining brightly in his face before he could make a run for it.

Bear found himself face-to-face with officers of the Northbrook Police Department over the summer when he was present at a party where alcohol was consumed by teenagers.

He said he chooses not to drink, which is not a big deal to him. However, Bear said that before his encounter with the police, he thought he may receive a ticket just for being guilty by association.

According to Detective Matthew Szymanski, a student who is not drinking at a party will not be ticketed along with those under the influence.

An officer cannot ticket a student just for being around the illegal substance, Szymanski said. The common protocol is to administer a breathalyzer test and to notify the students’ parents of his or her whereabouts and that there is alcohol present. After this procedure is finished and the student passes the test, he or she is able to return home.

Szymanski said the police department administers breathalyzer tests because the smell of alcohol travels easily throughout a party, making it hard to determine who is under the influence and who is not. He believes students who have not been drinking should never refuse a breathalyzer test in order to prove that he or she is sober.

“Many kids don’t take [the breathalyzer test],” said Szymanski. “If you weren’t drinking, I would take it five times.”

According to Szymanski, if a student does not take the test, there is no way to prove that he or she is sober, and will also receive a refusal ticket.

When interacting with the police officers at the site of the party, Bear said the Northbrook Police Department handled the situation in a respectful manner.

“After talking to me for a little bit, [the officer] knew I was sober,” said Bear. “You just have to be honest with [the police]. It’s all they want.”

After following the mandatory procedure, a breathalyzer test and a phone call to his parents, Bear was able to drive straight home without a ticket.

He believes many high school students share the misconception that everyone gets ticketed if a party is busted. For Bear, however, his encounter with the police provided clarity on the law.

“I feel like some people think it is ‘guilty by association,’ but if you’re not doing anything wrong, they can’t give you a ticket for something you’re not doing,” Bear said.

A survey was conducted in order to get an idea of the student body’s thoughts on common misconceptions about the law. Each article is accompanied by poll results based on a sample size of 100 students. Note that the poll results are in response to the initial statement at the top of each article.