Five clerks cited for selling alcohol to minors

Five store clerks received citations last week for selling alcohol to minors during an undercover operation by the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

The operation was part of a grant-funded, quarterly compliance check during which police send "controlled minors" into businesses to attempt to buy alcohol, said Darin Hickey, public information officer for the department.

"An officer doesn't go inside the store with them, but there is a plainclothes officer dropping them off and picking them up," Hickey said.

As soon as the buyer returns to the car, the officer takes control of any items purchased, he said.

The buyers, who are 18 to 19 years old, must pass a background check and meet other criteria to participate, Hickey said.

"The state is very rigorous in their check system," he said.

The department checks 30 to 35 businesses over the course of an evening, using teams to cover as much ground as possible, Hickey said.

"We try to mix it up," he said. "We can't hit every business that has a liquor license in a night."

During the compliance checks March 20, police issued summonses to:

• Justin C. Wiseman at Discount Smoke Shop, 340 S. Sprigg St.
• Tonya M. Morrison at Southern Bi-State Oil, 612 S. Sprigg St.
• Evan M. Crumpecker at Quick N Save, 2861 Themis St.
• Ryan T. Harter at Rhodes 101 Stop, 2109 William St.
• Craig A. Noble at Phillips 66, 3276 William St.

When officers catch clerks selling alcohol to underage buyers, they try to turn the situation into a teachable moment, Hickey said.

"It is a learning curve," he said. "It is an education for them."

Clerks sometimes fail to check identification because they are busy, do not want to slow down the line or are afraid of inconveniencing a customer, Hickey said.

"We tell them, you know, if there is any remote question, always card," he said. "Some people, they feel it's a bother to them, being carded. ... The laws are there to protect the juveniles and to keep everybody safe."

Clerks who sell alcohol to underage customers face a fine, set by the court, Hickey said. Businesses with repeated violations could face sanctions by the city or state, including revocation of liquor licenses, he said.

"We're not suspending liquor licenses for one time -- only for repeated violations," Hickey said.

He said officers seldom see clerks make the same mistake twice, and most are receptive to the advice police offer.

"Our goal every time we do these is to have zero violations. We would love to be able to send juveniles in and there were no purchases made," Hickey said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

340 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

612 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2861 Themis St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2109 William St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

3276 William St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.