2008 Woodie Awards
Bar employees face arrest for selling to underage drinkers
Other underage laws remain
CAROLYN CRIST
Issue date: 8/18/08 Section: News
To attack demand, you have to go after supply, Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Carroll Chisholm said he believes.
Chisholm mailed 300 letters to bar owners and liquor license holders that said employees will be arrested if caught selling alcohol to underage patrons.
"It's not really a new policy. A number of people think this is new," Chisholm said Sunday. "It's been a law that if you drink under the age of 21, it leads to your arrest. The person who provided alcohol would get a citation, but I asked [ACC Police Chief Joseph] Lumpkin if we could arrest the person who furnishes alcohol."
Chisholm said he hopes the policy, which will go into effect Sept. 1, will deter those who knowingly serve underage students.
"There's an expectation that if you come to Athens, you'll be served, and this includes not just University students but high school students from other counties," he said.
Those who are caught serving underage patrons will be given an arrest warrant and must turn themselves in to the ACC Jail within 24 hours.
"This is because Lumpkin and I discussed what to do if one person is running a convenient store and gets arrested. The police would be responsible for the store until it was closed safely, and police were concerned about manpower and liability," Chisholm said.
Of the 300 letters mailed, only six were returned with address issues. The addresses listed on Atlanta Highway were corrected and re-sent, Chisholm said.
"I went to a restaurant this weekend, and my letter was posted on the wall," he said. "I've received phone calls from business owners. I think the letters and policy are really getting around."
Some bar personnel said they didn't want to be "tricked," Chisholm said.
"These will be police investigations with underage operatives, real licenses and dates-of-birth clearly stating the customer is under 21," he said. "We're targeting those who knowingly furnish to underage customers. I can't proceed in a court case otherwise."
Although the supply side of underage drinking is being attacked, customers should not forget the consequences of underage drinking either, University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said Sunday.
"The laws are still the same," he said. "The police department is doing different things downtown, and if you drink in moderation you shouldn't worry about being in contact with them."
Though rumors have circulated that police are targeting "girls in white dresses" or females undergoing the sorority recruitment process, Williamson said police don't target descriptions.
"I heard [the rumor] in a meeting this week, too, and my police department has made no such statement," he said. "The county spoke to Greek officials about noise ordinances, and I spoke to them about behavior and making decisions. We base arrests on actions, and it's always been that way."
Chisholm mailed 300 letters to bar owners and liquor license holders that said employees will be arrested if caught selling alcohol to underage patrons.
"It's not really a new policy. A number of people think this is new," Chisholm said Sunday. "It's been a law that if you drink under the age of 21, it leads to your arrest. The person who provided alcohol would get a citation, but I asked [ACC Police Chief Joseph] Lumpkin if we could arrest the person who furnishes alcohol."
Chisholm said he hopes the policy, which will go into effect Sept. 1, will deter those who knowingly serve underage students.
"There's an expectation that if you come to Athens, you'll be served, and this includes not just University students but high school students from other counties," he said.
Those who are caught serving underage patrons will be given an arrest warrant and must turn themselves in to the ACC Jail within 24 hours.
"This is because Lumpkin and I discussed what to do if one person is running a convenient store and gets arrested. The police would be responsible for the store until it was closed safely, and police were concerned about manpower and liability," Chisholm said.
Of the 300 letters mailed, only six were returned with address issues. The addresses listed on Atlanta Highway were corrected and re-sent, Chisholm said.
"I went to a restaurant this weekend, and my letter was posted on the wall," he said. "I've received phone calls from business owners. I think the letters and policy are really getting around."
Some bar personnel said they didn't want to be "tricked," Chisholm said.
"These will be police investigations with underage operatives, real licenses and dates-of-birth clearly stating the customer is under 21," he said. "We're targeting those who knowingly furnish to underage customers. I can't proceed in a court case otherwise."
Although the supply side of underage drinking is being attacked, customers should not forget the consequences of underage drinking either, University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said Sunday.
"The laws are still the same," he said. "The police department is doing different things downtown, and if you drink in moderation you shouldn't worry about being in contact with them."
Though rumors have circulated that police are targeting "girls in white dresses" or females undergoing the sorority recruitment process, Williamson said police don't target descriptions.
"I heard [the rumor] in a meeting this week, too, and my police department has made no such statement," he said. "The county spoke to Greek officials about noise ordinances, and I spoke to them about behavior and making decisions. We base arrests on actions, and it's always been that way."
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 19
michael
posted 8/18/08 @ 7:42 AM EST
poverty? crime? violence? problems in schools? none of these issues and many more just as, if not more important, can hold a candle to the tragic epidemic of 18 year olds drinking and bar owners serving them. (Continued…)
Bono
posted 8/18/08 @ 8:33 AM EST
How are they going to hold the bartender liable if the bouncer is the one checking ID's? This sounds like the police are trying to set kids up . I remember when the Athens police had a level medium of staying out of the kids way as along as they were not causing trouble. (Continued…)
Truth train
posted 8/18/08 @ 11:38 AM EST
90% of the time, you won't be arrested if you don't draw attention to yourself. Those getting hauled in for underage drinking are the ones falling all over themselves, yelling at bouncers, or peeing on the side of buildings. (Continued…)
CoastalDawg
posted 8/18/08 @ 12:58 PM EST
Simple solution: it's not a complex issue and not a complex solution. If you are under the age of 18 don't send someone to jail by your attempting to buy or be served alcoholic beverages. (Continued…)
Shannon D. Weatherly
posted 8/18/08 @ 1:20 PM EST
As an alumnae of the University of Georgia, I am so grateful that the University and the ACC Police Departments are addressing what is an epidemic problem in every college community I've ever been to. (Continued…)
sammy
posted 8/18/08 @ 1:54 PM EST
Change the drinking age to 19 and then we can be finished with all of this. Then when you are in college you can drink and learn to be a responsible drinker and then the police and find something else to do with themselves-like arrest the REAL crimnals instead of screwing up college students records and lives. (Continued…)
LockEm
posted 8/18/08 @ 4:27 PM EST
Lock 'em all up. Underagers, bartenders, door persons and BAR OWNERSHIP. Take them ALL TO JAIL. Only then will the plague of booze, urine and vomit and DEATHS start to reduce. (Continued…)
zaid
posted 8/18/08 @ 6:21 PM EST
I find drunks and all the idiocy they do around our campus to be ridiculous, but I'm not sure this is a proper solution. Does anyone think it would be effective? I think cracking down on fake ID's and tougher enforcement of public drunkenness laws would be better. (Continued…)
untamed
posted 8/18/08 @ 7:11 PM EST
i think there moms and dads should have let them out of the house when they were in high school, then they wouldnt act so dumb and stupid when they finally get out on there on. (Continued…)
truth train
posted 8/18/08 @ 7:15 PM EST
I honestly don't see the point of all the arrests. The last thing we need our students graduating with is a criminal record. Moreover, you're now penalizing bartenders who are just trying to earn an honest buck. (Continued…)
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