School is out, summer is here, and for some teens, it is time to celebrate.

It is also time for teenagers to seriously think about the choices they make when it comes to underage drinking. The King County Sheriff’s Office and multiple police jurisdictions, including Federal Way, are cracking down on underage drinking through an effort called Party Patrol.

“It’s mainly going to prevent the graduation and end-of-year parties,” Federal Way police Cmdr. Steve Arbuthnot said.

Party Patrol is a King County Sheriff’s Office program that began in 1998. The objective is to keep teens out of harm’s way by getting tough on underage drinking as well as drinking and driving. The emphasis will continue through June, when police generally see a peak in underage partying.

Party Patrol kicked off June 6.

Federal Way’s four participating officers will patrol their assigned zone within the city as usual this weekend. When an underage party is reported, the officers as well as King County Sheriff’s deputies and participating Party Patrol police jurisdictions, will all be called to respond. Many graduation and end-of-the-school-year celebrations draw a large number of teenagers; Party Patrol provides several resources to properly deal with the teens, Arbuthnot said.

In late May, Federal Way police sent a letter home to parents of teenagers. Police are prepared to arrest and take into custody any minor found in possession of alcohol or other illegal substances, said the letter, written by police Chief Brian Wilson.

Teenagers caught drinking and driving will face stricter penalties of up to one year in jail, a $5,000 fine or suspension of their driver’s license, according to the letter. Adults furnishing alcohol to minors are not exempt and will be punished, according to the letter.

Federal Way police have participated in the program for the past two years, Arbuthnot said. Most of the citations given are to minors in possession of alcohol, he said. Following the conclusion of the first weekend of Party Patrol on June 8, citations and arrests for possession of marijuana, driving under the influence and felony drug charges were issued among the 143 teenagers caught disobeying the laws, said Sgt. John Urquhart, King County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

This past weekend, Party Patrol law enforcement discovered an unresponsive male teenager who drank a fifth of hard liquor at a teen party and was passed out with his eyes open, Urquhart said. The teen was treated and released to his mother.

Throughout June, the Washington State Liquor Control Board will perform compliance checks on businesses to make sure they are not supplying alcohol to minors.

“My goal here is to keep kids alive,” King County Sheriff Sue Rahr said. “There are times, like now, where we have to have a firm hand in law enforcement to avoid senseless tragedies.”

Contact Jacinda Howard: jhoward@fedwaymirror.com

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The cities of Shoreline, Sammamish, Woodinville, Kenmore, Bellevue, Carnation, Duvall, Kirkland, Issaquah, Lake Forest Park, Redmond and Snoqualmie are also participating in Party Patrol. To report an underage drinking party, call 911.