Law Enforcement Grants

Compliance Checks and Alternate Enforcement

New Resource

MIPH has collected information about civil penalties for alcohol license violations from jurisdictions around the state. Click on the link at the bottom of the page to get the compiled penalty matrix.

Compliance Checks

A compliance check is a tool to identify licensed establishments that sell alcohol to underage youth. Research has shown that compliance checks are one of the most effective ways to reduce commercial access to alcohol.

In a compliance check, a law enforcement officer works with an underage youth who attempts to purchase alcohol from a bar, restaurant, liquor store, grocery store, or other licensed outlet. If the clerk/server asks for identification and refuses the sale, the outlet passes the compliance check. If the clerk/server completes the sale, the outlet has illegally sold alcohol and fails the compliance check. Effective compliance checks hold both the clerk/server and the license holder accountable for the illegal sale through criminal or civil sanctions.

Alternate Enforcement

MIPH understands that compliance checks are not the only enforcement strategy that can reduce youth access to alcohol. Alternate enforcement allows law enforcement agencies to conduct other activities that will reduce youth access to alcohol, including:

Source investigations (focusing on finding and hold accountable the illegal provider of alcohol once an underage drinker has been identified.)
Targeted enforcement at specific events or times of year (community festivals, the first month college classes are in session, etc.)

The focus of activities within alternate enforcement should be to target the provider of alcohol and reduce access to alcohol.

Compliance Check and Alternate Enforcement Mini-Grant Program

In July 2009, MIPH assumed leadership of Minnesota’s Compliance Check and Alternate Enforcement Mini-Grant Program. This program was previously led by the Department of Public Safety, Alcohol Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED). AGED received national awards and accolades for their work and MIPH appreciates the opportunity to continue what AGED started. The mini-grant program provides funding for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) that wish to conduct alcohol compliance checks and alternate enforcement but do not have adequate resources to do so.

The 2011-2012 applications for Compliance Checks and Alternate Underage Drinking Enforcement were due on June 9, 2011. Applicants were notified of our decisions in July. New rounds of funding will be announced on this site in April 2012. Each year we receive a large number of Alternate Enforcement applications that are clearly outside the types of activities we are willing to fund. We encourage departments to thoroughly read the application cover letter so that effort is not made creating applications that will not be considered for funding.

Contact our project staff for more information:

Sheila Nesbitt
Electronic Contact Form
763-427-5310 x128

Minnesota Institute of Public Health

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