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

matters

Non-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 Do

Research 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 Advocacy

Editorial: 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

rebecca.ramirez@nllea.orgjwilson@nllea.org