The Enforcement Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) covers East Baton Rouge Parish and proactively enforces all alcohol laws as well as criminal laws. The Enforcement Agents ensure the lawful compliance of the approximately 1,000 alcohol outlets located in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Compliance Checks

The Enforcement Division routinely conducts undercover “sting” investigations of businesses suspected of selling to minors. The visits to establishments are done by undercover agents and a trained, underage confidential informant (CI).

Agent Presence

ABC strives to maintain a visible presence at retailers through inspections and observations. During inspections, agents present themselves in uniform to complete a checklist of qualifications of the licensed establishment. Surveillance is done undercover in an attempt to observe instances of illegal sales to underage persons.

Accomplishments

In 1993, the ABC Office created the Juvenile and Underage Drinking Enforcement (JUDE) Task Force. This task force targets underage persons who are caught violating alcohol laws. The JUDE Task Force has become a vital component of the ABC Office’s efforts to curb the sale to and possession by, underage persons of alcoholic beverages. The success of JUDE is due mainly to the commitment and participation of several agencies forming a partnership, working to identify and solving the problems associated with underage drinking.

JUDE Task Force is a recognized proponent of the I-CARE program. It incorporates an education component sponsored by I-CARE and Juvenile Court, which offers an alternative to court by attending an alcohol awareness program.

Awards

In addition to the support of local and state officials, the JUDE Task Force has also become an award-winning and nationally recognized program. In September 1996, the JUDE Task Force received the award for Innovative Program of the Year from the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association. This was one of only three annual awards given by this organization.

On June 11, 1997, the JUDE Task Force was selected by the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association as one of 23 “Best Practices” in a national review of more than 170 programs nationwide. This review was a two-year project conducted by the NABCA and funded through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The JUDE Task Force was published in a “Best Practices” handbook by the NABCA in August 1997.