An alcohol compliance check of 35 stores in Mt. Juliet found that 31 of them complied with the law regarding beer sales to someone under the age of 21, and four of them reportedly failing to do so.

Mt. Juliet Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit conducted the compliance checks on Thursday, May 31.

The 31 businesses that did follow the law represented an 89 percent compliance rate out of all of the businesses that sell beer for off-the-premises consumption.

The four businesses that reportedly failed the compliance checks are:

•  Fish Tales Market at Cedar Creek Marina located at 9120 Saundersville Road, third offense. The store was previously cited in December and May 2009.
• Citgo at Mt. Juliet Food Mart located at 2190 N. Mt. Juliet Road, second offense. The store was previously cited in December 2006.
• Exxon Tiger Market located at 125 N. Mt. Juliet Road, first offense.
• Walgreens located at 206 Crossing Lane, first offense.

MJPD makes it a priority to keep teens safe by enforcing the law of prohibiting the sale of beer to minors, especially now that it is graduation season, said Sgt. Tyler Chandler, community policing director/public information officer for the department.

Alcohol Compliance Checks are done on a regular basis throughout the City of Mt. Juliet, he said, adding any business holding a beer permit is subject to inspection.

Chandler noted that testing is conducted by having person under the age of 21, in cooperation with Crime Suppression Unit detectives, attempt to purchase alcohol in a licensed beer permit establishment. If the underage person is allowed to purchase beer, the employee who allowed the purchase is cited and the business is notified of the failure. A business that is charged with selling beer to a person less than 21 years of age is subject to sanctions by the licensing authority.

Employees who allowed the purchase were cited under Mt. Juliet City Code Section 4-70: Prohibited act by permit holders, agents, or an employee, which carries a $188 fine.

Anyone with any information on current investigations or ongoing crime trends is encouraged to call the MJPD at 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at www.mjpd.org.