Shakopee Police to Begin Alcohol Compliance Checks on Retailers

Follow Shakopee Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter

The  wil begin alcohol compliance checks in the next few months. A grant will help fund the checks on all licensed local retailers.

A compliance check is a tool to identify alcohol establishments that sell to underage youth.

Last August, Shakopee police checked 44 businesses and two failed, according to Shakopee Police Officer Cortnie Anderson. 

During a compliance check, a law enforcement officer works with an underage youth who attempts to purchase alcohol from a bar, restaurant, liquor store, grocery store or other licensed outlet. If the clerk/server asks for identification and refuses the sale, the outlet passes the compliance check. If the clerk/server completes the sale, the outlet has illegally sold alcohol and fails the check.

Compliance checks are a proven tool for reducing youth access to alcohol, according to Shakopee police. 

Officers will conduct the first round of compliance checks this year while a second round of checks will take place after the first of the year.

Any seller caught selling to an underage buyer will be referred to the Scott County Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution. In addition, the owner of the alcohol license will face civil prosecution. Along with the issuance of an alcohol license comes the responsibility to ensure that all sales are made legally and responsibly.

Law enforcement is committed to working with retailers to help them abide by the law. Selling alcohol is a legitimate business that plays a valid role in our community, police said.

Penalties for selling to a minor can include fines and license suspensions, and can potentially lead to license revocation. A server who sells to someone under 21 can be charged with a gross misdemeanor offense.

Invitation Health Institute has provided the alcohol compliance check funding through the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Program of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.