Enforcement Works!

The Portland Press Herald reports that over the weekend, the South Portland Police Department used an under-21 volunteer to try to purchase alcohol at 27 locations--and the volunteer failed at 26 of the locations.

This is in contrast to a similar operation in March, in which the under-21 volunteer was successful at 14 establishments.

Research shows teens are four times less likely to drink if they think they are going to be caught by police, making law enforcement a crucial stakeholder in preventing underage drinking in our communities. Compliance checks are just one example of the many initiatives our local police departments are taking on to address this issue--including underage drinking party patrols, with a focus on enforcing furnishing and hosting laws.

Thank you to the South Portland Police Department for taking youth access to alcohol seriously, and to the store owners for providing training and support to their staff.

The full Press Herald article is available online: "SoPo Police Hold Weekend Alcohol Operation"