Carson City Sheriff's Deputy Jarrod Adams watches an undercover decoy attempt to purchase alcohol during a shoulder-tap sting Friday at a Highway 50 convenience store. Adams runs the Sheriff's Department's operations that target underage drinking. Another step toward that goal is a change in liquor ordinances that fine business owners and the clerks who sell liquor to minors. Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
by F.T. Norton
Appeal Staff Writer
Proposed changes in the city's liquor ordinance would fine business owners if an employee is busted selling alcohol to a minor.
Drafted by Deputy Jarrod Adams and sponsored by the Carson City Sheriff's Department, the change is needed in order to make license holders take the city's stance against teenage drinking seriously, said Adams.
"The goal is to keep kids off of alcohol," he said. "Ultimately, license holders are responsible."
Adams runs the operations funded by a federal grant aimed at stopping underage drinking. Last year, money from an Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws grant paid for 14 details such as shoulder-tap stings, alcohol compliance checks and beach patrols.
Under the current ordinance, the alcohol server or clerk is fined $632 for selling alcohol to a minor and the business owner gets a letter stating the offense. If such a thing happens more than once, the licensing board could possibly revoke the license. But, Adams said, the law is not clear and the changes to be considered by the Liquor Board in March leave little room for interpretation.
With the suggested changes, in addition to the clerk or server receiving a citation, the liquor license holder would receive a $100 fine for the first offense of selling alcohol to a minor. On a second offense, there would be a $500 fine. Third offense the licensee would be fined $1,500 and the board could consider suspension or revocation of the license. And if a fourth offense happens, the business owner would receive an emergency suspension of his liquor license.
In addition to the fines, license holders must require their servers and clerks to attend alcohol compliance training hosted by the Sheriff's Department.
"I hope with these changes that liquor license holders will be more diligent in making an effort to train their clerks and to help keep kids off alcohol," said Adams. "Maybe this will make the license holders more accountable."
If you have questions about the grant details, contact Adams at 887-2020. For information on the free alcohol server training, contact Linda Lang at 882-6674.
Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
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