On Saturday, January 24^th, agents from the Liquor Control Division and officers from the Branford Police Department conducted a compliance check of 15 package stores and grocery stores licensed to sell beer in Branford, with the assistance of a teen volunteer trained and provided by the Governor’s Prevention Partnership.

Of the 15 stores tested, 14 passed by not selling to the volunteer minor who tried to make a purchase.

However, one store, Harbor Package Store at 76 Maple Avenue, allegedly failed the compliance check, by allegedly selling alcohol to the youth.

“Compliance operations are consistently useful in helping us identify licensed or permitted locations that are selling alcoholic beverages to minors,” Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said. He added that the compliance checks are not intended to hurt local businesses. 

“We don’t try to trick or entice establishments to sell alcoholic beverages to youth,” Rubenstein said. “If asked their age before making a liquor purchase, the youth volunteers hand over their actual ID, and tell their true age. Our goal is to find businesses that sell to minors and bring them into compliance with state liquor laws.”

The store cited in the weekend’s compliance check is charged with allegedly selling liquor to a minor and will appear before the Liquor Control Commission for an administrative hearing, at which time the charges will be addressed.

“Partnering with state and local law enforcement on these checks benefits everyone involved,” Rubenstein said. “I want to express our sincere thanks to Chief Kevin Halloran and the men and women of the Branford Police Department, and to the Governor’s Prevention Partnership for their ongoing activities to reduce access to liquor by our youth.”

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