READING – Chief David Clark wishes to highlight the Reading Police Department’s ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with alcohol sales laws.
Law enforcement activities related to alcohol compliance may include compliance checks at restaurants and retail locations, reverse stings, party patrols and “shoulder tap” and “Cops in Shops” programs.
Through a combination of these techniques, the Reading Police Department will be able to monitor, analyze and take legal action when appropriate on both minors who seek to circumvent the law and those people and businesses that enable them.
Historically, there has been a multi-faceted effort spearheaded by police, town and school leaders working with the Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support to address alcohol compliance and underage drinking prevention.
Improvements in local liquor policy have yielded a strong compliance rate. We have a sincere commitment from local businesses, with 96% of all Reading businesses having passed previous compliance checks.
The 2023 Reading Youth Risk Behavior survey results indicate reductions across all alcohol risk behaviors for local high school youth compared to the previous results. Despite this progress in reducing alcohol risk behaviors, impaired driving and alcohol-related crashes are still too common among young people.
The Reading Police Department will continue to monitor local liquor establishments. Communities like Reading that have reduced the availability of alcohol to underage drinkers have experienced fewer crashes and fewer crimes.
The Reading Police Department would like to remind the community that preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility.
