RUMFORD – “We’re going to tell you how to use alcohol, have a party and not get caught by the police,” Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant said during an underage drinking assembly on Wednesday at Mountain Valley High School.

That provocative statement, during the last of five presentations on the consequences of underage drinking, grabbed and held the attention of most of the 250 juniors and seniors seated inside the auditorium.

Gallant then revealed the how-to part, telling them to keep the music volume down, not allow smoking, not answer the door, keep the shades down and not to peer out through them.

Additionally, Rumford police Sgt. Tracey Higley told them not to let their friends get loud and not to let anyone park near the house where the party was being held.

Explaining why police would tell teens this, Higley said it was their attempt at honesty and being upfront.

“Just so you’re all aware, we do not condone you having an alcohol party,” he said. “But we want you to know that we’re telling you the truth.”

During the talk, Higley and Gallant played off each other while stressing Maine law and penalties concerning underage drinking and furnishing a place for people under the age of 21 to drink booze.

“We’re going to help you make choices, good conscious decisions,” Gallant said.

Gallant mentioned a past incident in Rumford where a MVHS senior held a booze party at her parents home while they were away. Party-goers, he said, caused $10,000 in damage to the house.

“We all change when we introduce that drug into our system,” Gallant said. “Alcohol gets you to do things you don’t want to do.”

Alcohol wasn’t the only drug mentioned.

“If you get charged with civil possession of marijuana – that’s one joint – you will lose an opportunity to get student aid in college,” Gallant said.

While reciting liquor laws pertaining to minors, Higley emphasized multi-hundred-dollar fines and possible jail time pending convictions.

“These laws aren’t put in to punish people,” Gallant added. “They’re there to protect people like you or me or your parents.”

The pair then took questions.

A girl asked why police presence in the community had increased. She was told grants are paying for the extra enforcement details to try to prevent underage driwnking parties during prom and graduation celebrations.

Others asked about consequences, like attending a party but not drinking booze. Could they still be charged?

Yes, Gallant answered, if the youth was within arms length of alcohol whether at the party or in a car.

Answering another, Principal Matt Gilbert said any honors student caught attending a booze party would lose the right to wear honors sashes during graduation.

Any student caught going to school while drunk would be suspended for five to 10 days, Gilbert said.

To try to prevent drunk driving from parties, students were advised to contact police.

Additionally, Higley said his number is in the phone book and they could call him.

“I will come out to save somebody’s life,” he said. “I mean that. I do this because I care a lot about you.”

Both officers also stressed a renewed zero tolerance by police toward underage drinking parties.

“We’re serious this year. We don’t want anyone to get hurt or killed,” Gallant said. “We want to make sure your graduation time is a fun and safe one.”