Police chiefs want to make it legal to breathalyse children as young as 12 who they suspect of drinking alcohol, Trouw reports on Tuesday.

At the moment youngsters can legally refuse to take a breathalyser test and police can only intervene when they suspect young teens of involvement in vandalism or violence.
A change in the law would allow the police to stop youngsters before they get into trouble, police chiefs say.
Weekend drinking
Justice ministry figures show vandalism and drunk and disorderly offences committed by younger teens have more than doubled. And at the weekends, alcohol is involved in some 80% of cases, the paper says.
Child psychologist Mireille de Visser told Trouw breathalyser tests could have the opposite effect. ‘Some schools now have voluntary testing and… youngsters think it is exciting to dodge them,’ she said. ‘Let the police focus on the adults who allow children to get alcohol in the first place.’
The paper says it is not clear if home affairs minister Guusje ter Horst will adopt the police chiefs’ plan. Her spokesman said the minister is sending a letter to MPs about teenage drinking in the next few days.