POUGHKEEPSIE - Sheriff Adrian Anderson announces that members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with CAPE (Council on Addiction, Prevention & Education of Dutchess County) and OASAS (NYS Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services) conducted details targeting underage drinking from the end of May through June.  These details were funded from a grant from CAPE & OASAS and consisted of DWI patrols, ABC Compliance Checks, Party Patrols & Responsible Beverage Server Classes and were implemented to help reduce underage drinking and its sometimes severe consequences.  

Sheriff’s office members conducted ABC Compliance checks of 159 locations throughout the county, which included retail stores, liquor stores, bars & restaurants during which 30 of those locations made sales of alcoholic beverages to underage persons.  These sales were made utilizing an underage decoy to attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages.   All persons who made illegal sales were charged with NYS Penal Law (Unlawfully Dealing with a Child) & NYS ABC Law (Prohibited Sales) both of which are misdemeanors.  In addition ABC referrals were made to the NYS Liquor Authority for establishments in which sales were made.     

In addition the sheriff’s office put out 18 extra DWI patrols, which made 12 DWI arrests and one arrest for Unlawful Fleeing & Reckless Driving stemming from a vehicle pursuit.  The arrestees ranged in age from 20 yoa to 60 yoa and had BAC levels of .08% to .18%.

Four Party Patrols were also deployed over graduation weekend (June 26 - June 28, 2009).  These patrols were used to check known underage party locations and to check parties where underage drinking may have been occurring.   During this detail one subject was arrested for Possession of Marihuana and another was arrested for DWI.
    
The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office also held two free training classes on Alcohol Beverage Laws, Criminal & Civil consequences of sales to minors, licensing issues, as well as ways to detect improper or fraudulent documents & ways to protect individuals & businesses.