US Alcohol Enforcement Strategies and Approaches
Presented at the European Network on Alcohol Law Enforcement
Stockholm, SwedenNovember 16, 2012
NLLEA: Who We Are
State, Provincial, County, Municipal & Campus Law Enforcement Personnel Sworn and non-sworn officers Vested interest in liquor law enforcement
mattersNon-governmental association
Unaffiliated with the alcohol industry
NLLEA: Our Purpose To build close professional and personal
relationships among liquor law enforcement officials.
To secure a unity of action in law
enforcement matters.
To enhance the standards of liquor law enforcement personnel and the training of the law enforcement profession generally.
NLLEA: We Are Committed To Improving the standards and
practices of liquor law enforcement.Facilitating the professional
development of our members.Publicly recognizing the role and
achievements of liquor law enforcement in protecting and promoting public safety.
NLLEA: What We Do
Collect and disseminate research data. Consult with law enforcement agencies to
provide technical assistance on: Best practices Policy development
Advise lawmakers on alcohol-related policy
Conduct the NLLEA Training Academy Host Annual Conference
NLLEA: Why We Do What We DoResearch has demonstrated that
enforcement of policies limiting service to underage persons and intoxicated patrons reduces alcohol-related problems and improves public safety and reduces crime.
Ratio of Licensees to Agents - 2011
Deterrence Theory
Three key components: 1. The perceived likelihood that a
violation will lead to apprehension;
2. The perceived swiftness with which a penalty will be imposed; and
3. The extent of the penalty.
General Alcohol Enforcement Approaches
Routine Enforcement: Compliance Checks,
Bar Inspections, etc.
Targeted Data Driven Enforcement: Problem Bars
Enhanced Enforcement and Educational Operations
Alcohol Law Enforcement Overview
Underage Compliance Checks Sales to Intoxicated Persons Operations Support for Sobriety Checkpoints Undercover Operations (gangs, drugs,
corruption, gambling, prostitution) Nuisance Abatement Compliance with operating hours, safety
standards Retail Licensee Training
Underage Enforcement Operations
Compliance Checks/Decoy Operations
Shoulder Tap Operations
Party Patrol/Party Dispersal
Fake ID Investigations – Use and Manufacturing
Over Service/Other Alcohol-Related Enforcement Strategies
Sales to Intoxicated Person Operations
Alcohol-Related Fatality Investigations
Place of Last Drink Data
Nuisance Locations Involvement of other agencies
Place of Last Drink Notices - 2001
Build Awareness and Community Support
Media AdvocacyEditorial: Overserving rules must be enforcedThe Northwestern, August 9, 2012
Who's responsible when someone gets behind the wheel drunk? …By law, bartenders have a responsibility to stop serving people who are drunk, and to take reasonable measures to ensure that those patrons are not putting others in danger when they leave the bar…Those laws simply are not enforced in central Wisconsin.
If bartenders are to be held responsible for overserving, bar owners should be, too, in the way that both are held responsible when taverns are caught serving minors. Local police offer training to taverns that's more in depth and detailed than state-required Internet courses. And last, police need to take seriously their duty to enforce the law. Police say it's difficult to prove the charge. But at a minimum, investigations into overserving charges ought to follow drunken driving fatalities.
Place of Last Drink Notices - 2010
Another bar in city shut down By Keith Eddings, Aug 14, 2012, Eagle Tribune
The year-long crackdown on nightlife in the city claimed another bar last week as the state revoked Fuego Latino’s liquor license following a string of fire code and liquor law violations, including serving a minor, offering illegal drink specials and allowing “grossly overcrowded conditions.” …
Fuego Latino is the third bar in the city to lose its liquor license during the last year, although the other two — La Guira and Marabu Café — have remained open pending appeals. The city ordered the two bars to close following shootings inside them, including a double homicide in La Guira on Sept. 6, 2010…
Closing Fuego Latino extends a crackdown on nightlife in Lawrence that began last summer, after a series of shootings and stabbings in the bars and nightclubs that climaxed Aug. 24 when a fight spilled out of a bar and ignited a brawl that spread across five city blocks.
Future Implementation Factors
Community awareness and supportTraining and resourcesStrategic partnershipsComplimentary policiesEvaluation of efforts
Local level Innovative strategies
For More Information :
National Liquor Law Enforcement Association
11720 Beltsville Drive, Suite 900Calverton, MD, 20705 USA
Phone: 301-755-2795Website: http://www.nllea.org
[email protected]@nllea.org