Department of Liquor Control Issues Report on Alcohol Compliance Check Program

For Immediate Release: Monday, January 11, 2010

Montgomery County’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC) recently released its first report entitled, “Alcohol Compliance Check Program for FY 2008-09,” that outlines the results of a new protocol adopted in 2008 to reduce the availability of alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age. The report found that efforts to reduce the number of establishments that are illegally selling alcohol to minors have already proven successful in Bethesda and Wheaton – two areas that have reported a high number of citations in the past. Of the 60 establishments checked in the past month, only one sale was made. All servers/sellers asked for an ID and/or questioned the youth.

The compliance check program is a collaboration between DLC alcohol inspectors, the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, State’s Attorney’s Office and local high school student volunteers who visit each of the 920 licensed businesses within Montgomery County at least once. Working together allows the annual target of 600 compliance checks to be met without overlap.

“It’s good to see businesses embracing responsible alcohol policies,” said DLC Division Chief Kathie Durbin. “Our department feels very strongly that along with the sale and distribution of alcohol comes a responsibility to educate and enforce alcohol laws and regulations to ensure the safety of our residents.”

The report will provide a baseline for comparing future fiscal year compliance check rates. To see the report online, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlc, and click on Licensure, Regulation and Education, then go to the Regulation section.

For more information, call the DLC Outreach Office at 240-777-1904.

 

Release ID: 10-018
Media Contact: Kathie Durbin 240-777-1917