We knew Attorney General John Ashcroft's Rat Patrol approach to law enforcement would inevitably trickle down to local jurisdictions.
Now Portsmouth, N.H. has enlisted.
Portsmouth has a new law making it illegal "for the owner or occupants of a home or hotel room to host a gathering of five or more minors who are drinking or using drugs. Teens as young as 17 who throw a party could be tried as adults," according to the Associated Press.
But that's not the cool part.
Police are looking for tattletales among the town's motel clerks and pizza and kung pao chicken delivery guys. One cop calls it the "Booze Bounty."
Delivering 10 extra-large pies with everything? See a kid with a beer? Drop a dime. You'll get $50 if your tip leads to the arrest of a party host.
And that dough will buy plenty of cheese, Ratso.

Posted at May 28, 2004 11:00 AM