Police

Teens Caught Drinking May Get Education Program Rather Than Charges, Police Chief Says

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Darien police are looking into setting up an alternative to filing charges against teens caught drinking — an educational program. Police Chief Duane Lovello briefly discussed the possibility of an alternative program at the last Police Commission meeting. “We are seeing an uptick in two areas — the under-age drinking parties and dealing with the emotionally disturbed,” Lovello told the commission. “We are in discussion about alternative ways of dealing with youth that we encounter in an under-age drinking setting. I think there are new programs other departments and other states are doing, diversionary-type programs that don’t involve the judicial system directly, so we’re exploring what other options are available to us.” Lovello said he had already discussed the matter with Richard Colangelo Jr., the state’s attorney for the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District.