ALBANY - Minors consuming alcohol on the Sugar River is an ongoing problem, and a village committee wants to start addressing it.
The village's Police, Fire and License Committee will discuss extra police detail for the Sugar River during its meeting at 6:30 p.m. today in village hall.
Police Chief Robert Levitt said some people have expressed concerns to the Village Board that minors are drinking while on the Sugar River; some are throwing trash into yards along the river.
"Some people are being irresponsible on the river," Levitt said. "They're underage and drinking. This happens every summer."
Levitt said the problems aren't isolated to minors. He said when people have been on the river all day, drinking in warm weather, they sometimes come off the river "a little out of control."
Levitt said on Saturday, eight men were arrested for a fight that happened on a sandbar on the river. All the men were from out of town. Four were arrested for battery and disorderly conduct; the other four were arrested for disorderly conduct.
Village President Larry Hanson said the fire and police departments have been called down to the river to investigate complaints. The river, according to Levitt, is not in the village's jurisdiction.
Hanson and Levitt said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the village it didn't have the manpower to patrol the river. Hanson said the village doesn't have the resources to do it, either.
Levitt said officers will make an effort to more closely patrol the area. He said if officers see what looks to be minors carrying coolers, they will be stopped and the cooler's contents inspected.
Should minors be found in possession of alcohol, they will be arrested and the alcohol will be confiscated.
The village's Police, Fire and License Committee will discuss extra police detail for the Sugar River during its meeting at 6:30 p.m. today in village hall.
Police Chief Robert Levitt said some people have expressed concerns to the Village Board that minors are drinking while on the Sugar River; some are throwing trash into yards along the river.
"Some people are being irresponsible on the river," Levitt said. "They're underage and drinking. This happens every summer."
Levitt said the problems aren't isolated to minors. He said when people have been on the river all day, drinking in warm weather, they sometimes come off the river "a little out of control."
Levitt said on Saturday, eight men were arrested for a fight that happened on a sandbar on the river. All the men were from out of town. Four were arrested for battery and disorderly conduct; the other four were arrested for disorderly conduct.
Village President Larry Hanson said the fire and police departments have been called down to the river to investigate complaints. The river, according to Levitt, is not in the village's jurisdiction.
Hanson and Levitt said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the village it didn't have the manpower to patrol the river. Hanson said the village doesn't have the resources to do it, either.
Levitt said officers will make an effort to more closely patrol the area. He said if officers see what looks to be minors carrying coolers, they will be stopped and the cooler's contents inspected.
Should minors be found in possession of alcohol, they will be arrested and the alcohol will be confiscated.