Police Chief Thompson Urges Safety During Prom Night

At the Sherborn Board of Selectmen meeting Thursday night, Sherborn Police Chief Richard Thompson was on-hand to remind residents of the importance of staying safe during prom night for students and that any underage drinking or drug taking would not be taken lightly.

“First I just wanted to share with the board and the town that myself and Chief McGowan from the Dover Police Department have been in direct communication with the superintendent of schools, as well as our clergy and some concerned parents that represent the Substance Prevention Awareness Network Dover-Sherborn (SPAN-DS) and we really have been discussing some of the recent poor behavior on behalf of some of our high school-aged kids,” said Thompson. “And we’re obviously concerned about kids that are drugging and drinking and driving.”

Thompson said that in a letter to the parents of D-S High School students sent out by school administrators that the school reserves the right to administer a breathalyzer test at any school sponsored event on or off campus. That includes prom, which will take place at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Thompson said that in both Sherborn and Dover patrols will be increased during the hours after prom.

“What I do want to stress to the community is that in no way do we tolerate any underage drinking and that if we are called to homes and there are issues involving kids that are drinking and they’re not supposed to be, we are going to act,” he said. “That does not necessarily mean that people are going to be charged criminally. But we certainly have a responsibility to the safety and well being of the children and the community and we certainly have a responsibility to the safety of all of you, being the residents of the town.”

Thompson, along with other authorities Dover, said that arrests would be made for anyone who is pulled over in either town that is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“I’ve never agreed with a zero-tolerance approach to anything other than drinking and drugging and driving and I can assure you that if anybody is stopped in a motor vehicle tomorrow evening and they’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol they definitely will get arrested,” he said.

Along with the warning, Thompson said that he is hopeful that the memories from prom are positive ones.

“We want the prom for everybody to be a positive, life-time memory, not a negative,” he said.