Cops in Shops
As part of the effort to curb underage drinking in Randolph, the police department’s Cops in Shops program partners law enforcement with retailers to deter underage drinking.
Funded by the Department of Justice and administered locally by New Jersey’s Division of Alcohol and Beverage Control, Cops in Shops is a proactive approach which places undercover officers in retail liquor establishments to foil the sale of alcohol to minors as well as to those of legal age who attempt to purchase it for them.
According to the 2006 Monitoring the Future survey sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 93% of twelfth graders report that alcohol is “very easy” or “fairly easy” to get.
If caught, offenders find themselves talking to a police officer, not a store clerk, about losing their driver’s license, going to court and paying fines. And the penalties are harsh—an arrest can lead to a minimum $500.00 fine and a mandatory six month loss of driving privileges.
Although it is illegal to sell or give alcohol to youths under age 21, they don’t seem to have a hard time getting it…and they often get it from adults.
A 2005 survey conducted on behalf of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth reports underage drinking is estimated to account for between 12% and 20% of the U.S. alcohol market. Even the lower estimate, 12%, represents 3.6 billion drinks each year.
Parents are urged to take the time to talk with their children about the consequences of underage drinking and the penalties for attempting to illegally purchase alcohol. Our goal is to educate our young people rather than having to take enforcement action against them and it is imperative that parents join us in this effort.