(Spencer)– Spencer police say based on recent checks of businesses, more training is needed when it comes to preventing the sale of alcohol to underage persons.
Police Chief Mark Lawson says six businesses were checked last week. Of those, Lawson says one sold alcohol even after checking an I-D. He says another retailer rang up the sale, but the underage person used in the check didn’t have enough money to make the purchase.
A third retailer didn’t allow carry out sale of the alcohol, but the bartender was willing to serve the person if they stayed on the premises.
Lawson says no citations were issued, as the operation was being conducted to see what issues need to be addressed.
That won’t always be the case, though. Lawson says Spencer police will conduct training sessions in the near future and follow them up with additional compliance checks. He says anyone found in violation then will be cited.
The fine for an employee of a retailer caught selling to an underage person is 710-dollars; the licensee of the business or establishment faces a fine totalling 2,030-dollars; and persons under the legal possessing alcohol face a fine totalling 314-dollars.
