thanes

LACONIA The Laconia Police Department is winning support for its decision to be among the first in the state to prosecute an individual under a new law that makes it a misdemeanor offense to host an underage drinking party.

 

Police Chief Tom Oetinger said many calls of support have come in since the decision was announced.

 

He said the case has also generated interest in LPDs ongoing efforts to combat alcohol abuse by minors.

 

"I have received more positive e-mails and phone calls on this particular incident than I have in my entire time as chief," said Oetinger on Thursday.

 

Oetinger succeeded Bill Baker as Laconias top cop in August 2002.

 

The incident took place June 26 when police, responding to a noise complaint at 17 Methodist Circle in The Weirs, found 23 people under the age of 21 in various stages of intoxication.

 

The owner of the house, John B. Paula, 49, of Nahant, Mass., was charged with prohibited sale of alcohol to minors. He is to be arraigned in Laconia District Court on Aug. 12.

 

The calls and e-mails have been coming from "all over the state" said Oetinger, and their general tenor is that the LPDs decision to bring a case under the new law "is appropriate, even that this is necessary, and something that has to be done to change peoples opinions or attitudes that its acceptable to allow teenagers and minors to drink."

 

Hearing that message from outsiders is comforting, the chief said, because "for me, this is what Ive always believed."

 

Keeping the issue "in the public eye" may change some public attitudes about underage drinking, said Oetinger.

 

In addition to the LPDs vigorous enforcement of state liquor laws, Oetinger is working to assemble a group representing law enforcement, parents, students, educators and alcohol retailers to battle alcohol abuse by minors through educational outreach programs.

 

Since that initial arrest on June 26, police have broken up two more parties involving underage drinkers and in each case arrested a person for hosting it under the states new law.

 

I feel strongly that this young adult has not lived up to the established standard of scouting, never mind that of an Eagle Scout. Hence I posted the report to this specific web site, because I am interested in the opinion of people who have current backgrounds in this area.

 

While some mentioned the unworthiness of this person for such rank, I was sure there would be stronger sentiment expressed about his receiving this particular award and immediately conducting himself in such a fashion, I guess I am wrong.

 

Its easy to shift the blame to the parents, however his age and displayed inability to rise above such conduct by understanding the consequences of his actions before hand seem to me to have been a prerequisite for this award. I see his attempts to rationalize, even dismissing his own culpability, as what has become the standard in many levels of society today.

 

Sadly, some years removed from my scouting/explorer experience, his performance now becomes the point of reference, for myself and likely many others, as to what it takes to achieve what should be considered a significant and prestigious accomplishment. A sad testimony to the efforts of those truly worthy, that they may now have the brilliance of their awards diminished in the eyes of those who witnessed this performance.

 

I personally think this individual is unworthy of this position. He has clearly shown that he can talk the talk but he obviously isnt qualified to walk the walk.

 

I think it would be most appropriate to adopt the words of Donald Trump in this situation by saying to him, YOUR FIRED! It would go a long way toward restoring some dignity to this program.

 

 

He hardly seems worthy of the award...

 

News - June 27, 2004

 

By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM

Sunday News Staff

 

LACONIA A Massachusetts Eagle Scout wanted it to be a three-day party to celebrate his achievement of the Boy Scouts highest honor and his high school graduation.

 

Instead, his parents could be among the first people charged under New Hampshires new party host law, after police broke up an underage drinking party at their lake house late Friday night.

 

Sgt. Matt Canfield said Mr. and Mrs. John Paula were hosting a party for their son and a group of his friends, all from Massachusetts, at their 17 Methodist Circle home. Around midnight, neighbor called police to complain about the noise, and officers who arrived at the home found 23 teenagers all between the ages of 15 and 18 in varying states of intoxication, Canfield said.

 

John Paula, 49, of Nahant, Mass., was arrested on the spot for prohibited sale of alcohol to minors. He was released on $500 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned on Aug. 12 in Laconia District Court.

 

And Canfield said theres a strong possibility that theyll both be charged with facilitating an underage alcohol house party.

 

Thats the new law that makes it a misdemeanor for someone to knowingly host a drug or drinking party for five or more underage individuals.

 

It was going great

Jonathan Paula, 18, last night told the NH Sunday News it was he who hosted what was supposed to be a weekend-long party. It was going great till the cops showed up, he said.

 

The idea was to have everyone sleep here for the entire weekend.

 

My friends said can we bring alcohol. I said yeah, why not?

 

Paula said he and a friend, who also recently was awarded the Eagle Scout honor, were staying sober and watching the cars and making sure no one was leaving early.

 

Everything was under control.

 

But police say otherwise.

 

Canfield said John Paula was drinking with the teens and they had provided the alcohol for them, too.

 

Normally its not that blatant and that obvious, Canfield said. A lot of times youll see them provide the house for them, then theyll go out for the night. But to actually be there and providing the alcohol is quite unusual.

 

Beer, mixed drinks, vomit

Asked what the teens were drinking, Canfield said, You name it.

 

There was quite a mixture. There was beer as well as mixed drinks.

 

He said some of the youngsters had thrown up because they had drunk so much.

 

Jonathan Paula denied the allegation that his parents were drinking with the teens. And he said he had checked with most of the neighbors before the party, and no one seemed to have a problem with it.

 

We were just having fun, and I dont know why its such a big deal.

 

Paula said the drinking age is 21 in Massachusetts, the same as in New Hampshire, but he said nobody pays attention to that. Why not? Cause were kids.

 

I was aware of the fact that what we were doing was illegal, but I didnt think it was that big of a deal. But it was. My friends parents had to come drive up from Massachusetts, two hours, to pick their kids up from jail.

 

Parental cautions

Asked if his friends parents knew there would be alcohol at his lake house, Paula said, Im pretty sure. Youd have to be kind of dumb not to realize.

 

My parents knew. Im pretty sure most of the kids parents knew. A lot of them said their parents said, Have a fun time and if youre going to drink, just dont drive.

 

I explained personally to some of the parents there might be alcohol around, but were going to keep it under control and a lot of them were OK with it.

 

Did any of them object? Not really. Some people said it might be a bad idea. I said yeah it might be. I was aware of the risks, and I screwed up.

 

But he said, Thats kind of why I had it be a three-day party, so nobody had to drive. They could sleep if off and then go home later.

 

23 teens taken in

Canfield said all 23 teens were taken into protective custody, brought to the Laconia police department and their parents were notified from there.

 

It took until 5 a.m. for all the teens to be released into the custody of their parents. Canfield said the youngsters were actually very cooperative.

 

Jonathan Paula said police at first were going to release his friends into the custody of his mother, Johanne Paula. But later they told him she was not a neutral party, since she was aware of the drinking.

 

So instead, two paddy wagons hauled his friends away, he said.

 

He wanted to go to the station as well, but police wouldnt let him. I said to them, Can I go with my friends? I should be there with them. Its my fault.

 

They said, No, you have to stay here.

 

But he said they did take his friend, the other Eagle Scout, into custody even though he wasnt drinking.

 

Sure, why not?

Asked if his behavior was befitting an Eagle Scout, he said, I wasnt doing anything illegal.

 

Paula said he doesnt even drink.

 

So why did he let his friends bring alcohol? Because my friends wanted to have a good time, I guess. I wasnt going to say no, no one can have fun tonight. Sure, why not? Drink. Its harmless. As long as youre not driving drunk or going swimming or something.

 

But Canfield said the night could have ended badly.

 

All the kids drove up together, and the house was located on the water. The danger would be that they could have drowned, or stumbled in the water intoxicated, and not known what they were doing.

 

Paula said that wasnt going to happen. We were watching the docks, too. Most everyone was in the house anyway.

 

Canfield said there were no other adults at home during the party.

 

Two youngsters were charged with unlawful possession of alcohol; both were juveniles, so their names could not be released, Canfield said.

 

Eagle Scout is upset

Paula said hes upset with how the party turned out.

 

It was supposed to be a three-day party and it turned into a half-night party.

 

I kind of wanted to have a fun time. I just graduated from high school. But adults just cant seem to let that happen. Im curious how the five cops and Carl up the street had no childhood apparently and cant let us go.

 

What about the fact that underage drinking is illegal? Yeah, sure its illegal. Lots of things are illegal. Speedings illegal.

 

We werent hurting anybody. Thats the main gripe. If we had incredibly loud music and people were getting hurt and driving drunk and getting in accidents, I can understand that. It wasnt a loud party.