The Bremerton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, a Kitsap County program in partnership with Bremerton Police Department and the Washington State Liquor Control Board, conducted Retailer Compliance Checks within the City of Bremerton on Friday, June 6. Officials say these types of compliance checks are proven tools to reduce the sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors.

The three businesses which failed the alcohol compliance checks were: AM/PM, at 2101 Sixth Street; R&H Market, at 3710 Kitsap Way; and 7/11, at 3500 Wheaton Way.

The WSLCB and local authorities, including Bremerton police, regularly conduct compliance checks of area businesses licensed to sell alcohol and tobacco. These businesses include restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, neighborhood markets, taverns, wine bars and sports/entertainment facilities.

Investigative aides from Emmanuel Apostolic Church, Living Life Leadership youth program in Bremerton assisted officers with the compliance checks. Investigative Aides must either present their true identification or none at all if asked by a clerk. No false identification or false statements are made; the main purpose is to ensure that the retailer ask for ID and checks the ID.

Twenty-two alcohol retailer compliance checks were performed, and nineteen retailers refused to sell to the minors. Nine tobacco retailer compliance checks were performed, and all nine of the retailers refused to sell to the minors.

Liquor enforcement officers are empowered to issue Administrative Violation Notices to businesses that fail compliance checks. Fines or temporary license suspensions may be issued depending on the severity of the infraction or the frequency with which a business has been cited. Future compliance checks will be conducted and further violations will result in more severe penalties.

“None of the businesses sold tobacco, and we had a high rate of compliance for not selling alcohol, which is encouraging and indicative of the good job the vast majority of our retailers are doing,” said Bremerton Police Chief Steve Strachan.