Attleboro PD to Conduct Underage Alcohol Compliance Check

The Attleboro Police Department will conduct an underage alcohol compliance check at local liquor selling establishments in the near future.

The check, which will utilize underage operatives, will be similar to a check conducted in the fall that busted seven liquor-selling establishments in the city for selling to minors.

Below is the full statement from the Attleboro PD:

Chief Kyle Heagney has announced that the Attleboro Police Department will be conducting compliance checks of liquor establishments in the near future.

This is part of a program which began in October of 2013 when the Attleboro Police Department was awarded $10,000.00 in grant funding as part of the 2014 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Program.

The funding is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention was awarded to Massachusetts for distribution through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD).

The Attleboro Police Department recognizes the need to monitor and educate all alcoholic beverage license holders regarding the dangers of underage drinking.  All alcoholic beverage license holders are reminded to be vigilant in verifying age with proper identification prior to selling alcoholic beverages. 

Through consistent enforcement and education, alcohol retailers will understand the importance of routinely and properly verifying age of those seeking purchase of alcoholic beverages.

According to the Center for Disease Control, alcohol use is a principle factor in the three leading causes of death among youth, those being, unintentional injuries (including motor vehicle crashes and drowning incidents), suicides and homicides.

Although much progress has been made in the last two decades, alcohol-related crashes are still too common among young people. According to NHTSA statistics, in 2010, nationwide, 30% of 15- to 20-year-olds  killed in automobile crashes had a blood alcohol content of .01 or higher; 25% had a BAC of .08 or higher.  Compounding the problem, 71% of the young drivers who had been drinking and were killed in crashes were unrestrained.

Therefore, the Attleboro Police Department will conduct alcohol sting operations utilizing operatives less than 21 years of age. The underage operatives will attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages from license holders within the City of Attleboro. Compliance checks will include both off and on premise licensees.