Whether underage teens are drinking at house parties, the town pool or at the school dance, Bedford police have said they will not tolerate it, and some recent arrests echo that sentiment.

“Basically, we have a zero tolerance stand on it,” Lt. Michael Bernard said. “If you’re under the age of 21 and you are drinking, we will be charging you with unlawful possession of alcohol.”

Mary Kroeger, 18, of Cotton Circle in Bedford, and a 17-year-old student who police would not name due to his or her age, were arrested and charged with unlawful possession of alcohol at a Bedford High School dance on Oct. 2, Bernard said.

“We had a detail officer working at the school,” Bernard said. “It was brought to his attention that there were two subjects possibly drinking.”

Superintendent Tim Mayes confirmed that two students were arrested during the dance. “These are student discipline matters and hence we don’t share too much information about it,” he said.

The students were held in protective custody, meaning they were held by police until their parents or guardians could pick them up, but they will have to face their charges in court.

Mayes said the school educates students on the dangers of underage drinking.

“I would say that health and wellness curriculum from Grade 5 all the way through junior year talks to kids on a regular basis on taking risks and making good decisions and the consequences of using any kinds of drugs,” Mayes said.

He said the district has also invited speakers to cover more specific topics for parents and students, such as prescription drug abuse.

“We try to partner with parents to make them aware of a number of things. We try to give kids a good curriculum that helps them at least understand the risks they’re taking,” he said.

Bedford schools also work with the police department, he said. “When kids do make bad decisions, we try to make sure there are consequences,” he said.

Two other teenagers were arrested near the school the night of the dance, across Nashua Road at the town pool, just after 8 p.m.

Police charged one of the teens, a 16-year-old, with possession of controlled/narcotic drugs, which Bernard said was marijuana. A 15-year-old was charged with unlawful possession of alcohol.

“We can only assume that because they were in the area, they were going to the dance,” he said.

He said a patrol officer was routinely checking the area when he saw the teens near the closed pool, which has been vandalized in the past after hours.

“It’s late at night. The pool is closed, the only thing that’s open is the tennis courts,” Bernard said. Upon approaching the teens and talking with them, the officer discovered that they were in possession of the drugs and alcohol.

In August, after several underage drinking parties in Bedford, Chief David C. Bailey announced a crackdown on the trend: the department would begin charging everyone who was underage and drinking at parties. Previously, attendants of the party would be taken into protective custody, but only the person who hosted the party would be charged.