The Renville County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a grant to conduct alcohol compliance checks on all licensed retailers. A compliance check is a tool to identify alcohol establishments that sell to underage youth.

In 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 establishments. If the clerk/server asks for identification and refuses the sale, the establishment passes the compliance check. If the clerk/server completes the sale, the establishment has illegally sold alcohol and fails the check.

In the next few months, officers will conduct the first round of compliance checks. A second round of checks will be conducted after the first of the year.

Any seller caught selling to an underage buyer will be referred to the County Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution. In addition, the owner of the alcohol license may 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.

Responsible Beverage Server training will be held on October 17, 2011 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Renville Community Center and on October 18, 2011 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Fairfax City Hall. For more information or to make reservations for this training, please contact Annie Tepfer with the Renville Alliance for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drugs (RAPAD) at 320-523-3845 or annie_t@co.renville.mn.us.

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 less than 21 years of age can be charged with a gross misdemeanor offense.

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