UPMC underage alcohol policy differs from Pitt’s

There is a gap in the University’s policy of having its police officers cite all underage… There is a gap in the University’s policy of having its police officers cite all underage students they encounter.

Off-duty Pitt police often work security details at UPMC Presbyterian on the weekends, when the hospital sees increased traffic. During that time, the officers follow UPMC’s policies rather than Pitt’s.

Susan Manko, a UPMC spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that, “If an underage intoxicated Pitt student comes into our ER for treatment, neither the off-duty Pitt police officers or any other security personnel will cite that person just for being an underage drinker.”

“When they’re working for us, they are not functioning as Pitt police officers. We do not call the police to issue citations to patients who are underage drinkers. Per [the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protects a patient’s medical records], we are not allowed to do that. If the patient is a minor, we will notify the parent or legal guardian as we would for any minor patient, but we do not call the police,” Manko said in an e-mail.

She added that the police are not notified unless the patient is overly disruptive or harmful and further assistance is necessary.

Through e-mail correspondence, Manko made it clear that the presence of Pitt police in emergency rooms on weekends is not to issue citations to underage drinkers.

“When they are working at UPMC, these police officers are not acting as Pitt police officers, they are working for UPMC. UPMC is NOT a Pitt facility,” Manko said.