Services Division
KEYS Program

Underage drinking parties are a serious problem and the Hudson Police Department wants to remind parents about our KEYS Program.

About the Program:
This program lets parents register their address with the department to have their home checked while they are away. The program is free and is aimed at decreasing the number of parties where underage drinking occurs. It also keeps your child safe and your home free from damage and, best of all, it gives parents peace of mind.

The KEYS Program was inspired by a parent in Hudson and is also used in Dover, New Hampshire.

About the Problem:
It has been our experience that most underage drinking parties occur within the home while the parents are away.

Often times teenagers left alone may call a few friends over for company, which may result in uninvited guests who bring alcohol or drugs. With today's advanced cell phone technology, speed dialing or text messaging makes it very easy to contact and gather dozens of uninvited guests in a short period of time.

Here's how it Works:
The KEYS Program, with the attached guidelines, can be found on the Hudson Police Department's web site or in the lobby of the police station. Simply contact the Hudson Police Department and ask to speak to the Officer in Charge. The Officer in Charge will respond to your residence at an agreed date and time to review the consent form with you and your children.

Our officers will make every attempt to ride by your home to look for any evidence of underage drinking activity. If the officer observes illegal underage drinking activity based on his or her reasonable suspicion or probable cause, they will stop to investigate. Reasonable suspicion or probable cause can be described basically as evidence that any reasonable person views to be related to underage drinking activity such as: loud party music, several vehicles parked in the driveway or near the home, viewing teenagers drinking or carrying alcohol into the home, beer cans on the property or any party related activity.

Officers will then approach your residence, knock on the door, and ask to speak with your teenager. Officers will then explain their belief that an underage drinking party may be going on within your residence and enter the home to look only for underage drinking activity. At no time will our officers use force to enter your residence.

Essentially, the KEYS Program Consent Form achieves two goals:

• It allows our officers information where young teenagers will be left unsupervised and who may be tempted to have a drinking party.



• It provides the parents with an instrument that may keep a teenager in check from such peer temptations.