Grant Increased for Fighting Underage Drinking

PRESS RELEASE
June 21, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO

The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office has received its seventh annual renewal of a state grant to enforce a ban on selling alcoholic beverages to minors.

The $24,000 “Cops In Shops” award from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, up from $18,000 last year, will be allocated from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012. The program posts trained undercover officers inside participating Gloucester County package goods stores, posing as a customer or employee, or places officers in hidden locations in stores to observe transactions. Police also may work outside the store, watching for adults buying liquor or beer for anyone under age 21. Any would-be purchaser who is underage or an adult purchasing for a minor is subject to arrest.

In 31 operations under the previous grant, there were 45 arrests on 53 charges of illegally buying alcoholic beverages and other offenses. In the past six years, 326 persons have been arrested on 488 charges, including drunk driving, outstanding warrants, drug possession and possession of open containers of alcoholic drinks.

“We have a great partnership between our liquor retailers and law enforcement to address underage drinking,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “This program is not just about making arrests, but was developed to prevent serious tragedies from occurring when you mix alcohol with young individuals.”