As a judge for many years, I am confident of one thing -- standing alone, the solution to underage drinking won't be found in courtrooms. But because of legislative mandates and alcohol's causal connection to many societal ills, courts will have a continuing role.

Because of the significance of local underage drinking, a coordinated community response is required to meet this serious youthful health threat.

A local environmental strategy begun eight months ago was the creation of the Alcohol Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT). ALERT comprises officers from Chapel Hill and Carrboro, along with agents from N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement (NCALE). Specially trained, this dedicated team is focused exclusively on underage drinking violations. With frequent enforcement actions, local courts have witnessed a dramatic increase in underage alcohol cases.

Meant as a public health intervention by law enforcement, ALERT is not intended to criminalize youthful behaviors. Though most serious drinking problems relate to UNC students, the UNC Public Safety Department has not yet participated in ALERT activities.

ALERT conducts strategically planned enforcement actions targeting underage drinkers and adult providers (including bars and retailers). Expecting more responsible corporate citizenship from those profiting so handsomely by state license to sell alcohol, bar operators routinely serving underage drinkers or over-serving impaired patrons can expect future challenges to their continued operation.

ALERT operations are funded by the Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Teenagers and the Orange County ABC Board. With most ALERT officers in off-duty status, only minimal funding comes from Chapel Hill or Carrboro town government. Recently retired Chapel Hill Police Lt. Pat Burns is the coalition ALERT liaison to law enforcement agencies.

Some oppose use of law enforcement to address underage drinking violations. After all, the commission of an underage offense is a crime, and a criminal record is not considered career enhancing. But like most personal choices, consequences, good or bad, usually follow, whether to personal history or damaged health or both.

Some argue that youth are too immature to understand the consequences of their actions. If so, it seems to follow that they are too immature to use alcohol, an addictive drug. Science confirms, including important work at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies in the UNC School of Medicine, that alcohol poses a serious health threat to youths.

A committed community effort may provide other more innovative environmental strategies. With excellent community prevention efforts under way nationally, there are many worthy of consideration. But until Chapel Hill and Carrboro town leaders, along with university leadership, unite with the coalition and others collaboratively to prevent underage drinking, use of law enforcement, by default, will remain an important environmental strategy.

Doing nothing, particularly in view of the worsening problem of collegiate alcohol abuse and alcohol-related deaths, is not a responsible community option. We have ignored this problem long enough, and the negative consequences have been profound for many.

As I said before, borrowing an African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. It's time for our village to do more collaboratively to prevent underage drinking -- a community problem needs a community solution.

Ronald E. Bogle is a retired Superior Court judge and works with the Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Teenagers.