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ABC News Release
Contact: Nathan Jones
502-564-4850
Frankfort, KY (Aug. 8, 2007) – The percentage of alcohol retailers
found to sell only to customers of legal age has reached an all-time
high, the Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced
today.
That is the conclusion from data collected through the ABC Enforcement
Division’s Operation Zero Tolerance (OZT). As part of OZT, ABC
investigators check licensed retail establishment to ensure that they
are not selling alcohol products to underage customers. Data from the
checks is used to calculate a compliance percentage. The compliance
rate, which has increased steadily in Kentucky, reached an all-time high
of 88 percent for Fiscal year 2007, which ended June 30. The rate for
the previous year was 82 percent.
“This record compliance is the result of the excellent teamwork and
dedication of our Enforcement Division and our Education Branch,” said
Chris Lilly, ABC’s executive director. “Through our Server Training in
Alcohol Regulations (S.T.A.R.), we are giving servers and sellers the
tools they need to follow the law, rather than only citing them when
they make an illegal sale. Furthermore, our investigators not only
issue citations, but engage in education with licensees, which is a
major factor in improving compliance.”
Kentucky was also recognized for its high compliance rates at the recent
National Leadership Conference conducted by the federal Office of
Juvenile Justice Department of Prevention.
“I’m delighted that compliance rates continue to rise in Kentucky,” said
Tim LeDonne, commissioner of the Department of Public Protection. “It
validates our approach of partnering with the businesses that we
regulate to help them comply with laws that protect the public. We
believe strongly that most businesses are fully committed to voluntarily
following such regulations. Our role is to clarify those regulations as
needed and, in the rare cases where a business chooses not to comply,
take the necessary enforcement actions.”
For more information about OZT or the S.T.A.R. program, visit
http://abc.ky.gov or call 502-564-4850.
ABC is an agency of the Department of Public Protection in the
Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.
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