PIPD continues crackdown
on businesses serving liquor
to underage customers
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Police continue their efforts to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors — most recently cracking down on businesses who allow minors to purchase liquor.
The latest effort resulted in a third of all businesses involved being caught selling to individuals under the legal drinking age of 21.
“We did alcohol compliance checks on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 20 different establishments in Presque Isle, with seven bars/stores selling alcohol to the minor working for us. That represents 35 percent of businesses involved failed to abide by the law,” said Sgt. Joey Seeley, Presque Isle Police Department.
Seeley said he’s been doing the administrative investigations for the PIPD since liquor enforcement was disbanded a few years ago.
“The PIPD has underage individuals go into each establishment and try to buy alcohol. They’re told to answer truthfully when asked for identification and date of birth. Obviously, this is quite disappointing and shows we still have a lot of work to do in this area,” said Seeley. “Officers Kevin Reed and Peter Johnson conducted the details for me and all costs were covered by an alcohol grant.”
According to Seeley, follow-ups were performed the following week, with each location that failed to follow proper procedure being summonsed for selling alcohol to the minor.
“As a result, I will be working with and offering training to the various establishments after the holidays to try to prevent this from happening again,” said Seeley, who said he’s not releasing names of the businesses involved (whether they sold or didn’t sell to minors) since the investigation is ongoing. He referred requests for such information to Augusta’s liquor licensing officials. Attempts to obtain additional information on which businesses were summonsed was unsuccessful Monday due to state offices being closed because of the storm.
Seeley said state officials may want to investigate further.
“It is not our intention to embarrass the stores who got caught. We are asking stores for voluntary compliance to ensure alcohol stays out of youths’ hands, especially during the holiday season,” Seeley said.
Police plan to continue such programs as time and funds allow.
“We will be doing similar operations in the future and want this well known. As always, we welcome input from the public on underage drinking parties, as well as names of people supplying alcohol to minors,” said Seeley.
Anyone with information is asked to call the PIPD at 764-4476.
