A day-long underage compliance check operation recently undertaken by the Gainesville Police Department yielded positive results, with only 2 out of 30 business tested failing to follow state law.
The compliance checks were carried out in coordination with the Georgia Department of Revenue, and saw 30 random businesses within the City of Gainesville tested as part of an ongoing effort to deter the sale of alcohol to underage individuals.
The tested locations included 20 retail businesses and 10 restaurants, where Gainesville Police Sgt. Kevin Holbrook said underage operatives, along with a "cover agent," attempted to purchase alcohol.
"At no time was any means of deception utilized or attempted during the operations. The operatives were instructed to leave the store without any further attempts to purchase if the sale was refused," Holbrook explained. "If carded by the clerks, the underage buyers presented their I.D. that clearly states 'Under 21' on the card."
2 businesses tested by law enforcement failed to comply with state law, and Holbrook explained the consequences:
"Those that failed to comply with state law were served an administrative citation against their state alcohol license," he said. "Additionally, the police department cited the clerk with a criminal citation."
To wrap up the latest round of compliance checks, Holbrook said officers would be revisiting the businesses that complied with state law to thank them for their efforts.
