Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to Host Social Networking Training to Help Law Enforcement Combat Underage and Illegal Drinking Among Youth

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, or PLCB, will host a two-day training session June 3 and 4 to help law enforcement professionals learn how to use social networking sites to prevent underage drinking and other alcohol-related crimes.

"Through a grant from our partners at the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, we're pleased to offer this training and work collaboratively with the law enforcement community so we can jointly educate the public about the dangers of underage drinking," said PLCB Chairman Patrick J. "PJ" Stapleton. "By conducting these sessions, we take dramatic steps in protecting our youth and saving lives."

This train-the-trainer session is specifically designed for the PLCB's statewide law enforcement training team. The team consists of professionals who are contracted with the PLCB to provide training to local municipal police departments and college/university institutions as part of a federal grant initiative. The PLCB Bureau of Alcohol Education offers free training, such as "Navigating Cyberspace," to local municipal police departments to assist with their efforts to combat issues related to the illegal use of alcohol.

"Cyberspace training seminars teach attendees how social networking sites work, how to use them to get information, and how to collect evidence that can be used in law enforcement operations," Stapleton said. "As the number of teens and young adults who use these sites to communicate about underage drinking parties and other dangerous activities continues to grow, sessions like these become critical to protecting the health and well-being of our youth."

Stapleton also noted that by understanding social networking, law enforcement officials will be able to deploy a different approach in preventing underage drinking.  

Capt. Corey F. MacDonald, head of the Detective Division of the Portsmouth Police Department in New Hampshire, will lead the two-day session. An expert in cyberspace issues, he has produced training materials for law enforcement, schools, and parents on the subjects of drug interdiction, social networking, and cyber bullying.

The PLCB worked with Capt. MacDonald and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to develop a model training program for law enforcement personnel in Pennsylvania to help meet high demand for this type of training.    

"We're hopeful our statewide trainers will leave these sessions better equipped to instruct other law enforcement professionals on ways that they can use social networking to help keep children and young adults safe," said Stapleton.

The two-day conference will take place at the Atherton Hotel, Regency B Room, 125 South Atherton Street in State College.

For more information on the PLCB and its alcohol education efforts, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Stacey Witalec, 717-783-8864

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board