Published: April 06, 2009 12:58 pm      

Alcohol compliance checks conducted in Grady County

The Red Rock Area Prevention Resource Center (APRC) recently teamed up with organizations such as Grady County Sheriff Office, El Reno police officer Scott Smith, Too Much too Lose (2M2L) coordinator Leslie Haltom, and area youth to conduct Alcohol Compliance Checks to make sure retailers are complying with the law by not selling alcohol to those under age 21.

Conducting routine, comprehensive Alcohol Compliance Checks are the key strategy for deterring retail alcohol sales to those under 21. They involve the use of underage buyers attempting to purchase alcohol at various establishments (bars, restaurants, & stores) that sale alcohol to check that retailers are in compliance with laws regarding the sell of alcohol to minors. Retailers who sell to the underage buyers and are not in compliance with the state law are then cited or arrested depending on the laws.

Alcohol Compliance Checks also indicate who is selling alcohol to those underage and how often. This lets a community know how large the problem of underage sales is and among which outlets. This information can be very useful in allocating scarce enforcement and prevention resources. The goal of both law enforcement and the APRC is to educate retailers to properly check identification, provide educational materials on Oklahoma Youth Access to Alcohol Laws, to ensure that retailers are in compliance with the state laws and to send a strong message that providing alcohol to minors is unacceptable.

On March 17, 2009, APRC staff, 2M2L coordinator Leslie Haltom, Grady County sheriff office, Grady County District Attorneys office and Anadarko 2M2L club, teamed up to complete compliance checks across Grady County. In one evening Ninnekah, Minco, Tutttle, Pocasset, and Rush Springs convenience stores were checked for compliance with the law. Twelve stores were checked; none sold alcohol to a minor.

On February 28, 2009, the 2M2L coordinator along with Canadian County Sheriff’s Office checked 8 out of 10 convenience stores in Mustang did not sell alcohol to the minor.

On December 29, 2009 compliance checks were completed by Yukon Officer Timothy Peters and Officer Scott Franklin. Four out of 17 Yukon retail stores sold alcohol to a minor.

Finally, on December 19, 2008 APRC joined forces with El Reno police officers and two youth from the Yu-can Coalition. Thirteen out of the 15 El Reno retail stores did not sell alcohol to a minor.

The underage youth who are selected to participate in Alcohol Compliance Checks, are youth leaders who have been trained and sign an agreement to follow the protocol set by the APRC and law enforcement agencies. Many of the youth that participate are part of the 2M2L program which is a statewide program for youth to actively get involved in combating alcohol issues at the local & state level.

For more information on how to stop youth access to alcohol and how you can get involved in prevention efforts, please contact the Area Prevention Resource enter at 405-354-1928. For more information on Alcohol Compliance Checks visit www.udetc.org or how to get a 2 Much 2 Lose youth group in your area visit www.2much2lose.com