Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis saw an operation to stamp out the under-age sale of alcohol at first-hand in Cannock at the weekend.
Mr Ellis joined teenage volunteers, plain-clothed and uniformed officers from the Special Constabulary and Staffordshire Police’s Licensing Unit together with representatives from Trading Standards in the town centre on Friday night, 29 November.
The Commissioner went to a briefing at Cannock police station before the volunteers, accompanied by plain-clothed officers, attended various licensed venues.
During the evening nine licensed premises were visited. Five venues sold to the underage volunteers, whilst four venues, Bar 77, Bank Bar, Bar Sport and Pied Piper refused to serve.
Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said: “This was really good proactive policing and sends a really strong message warning Licensees that selling alcohol to under age teenagers is very serious.
“I am so impressed with these young volunteers who frequently give up their time freely not only to gain experience but out of a sense of moral duty.”
Inspector Jed White, Staffordshire Police Licensing Unit said: “This was another proactive licensing operation aimed at testing compliance of licensed premises with regard to under age sales. The results are disappointing but follow the trend in Staffordshire since the start of the year where 40% of premises have sold to children. We will work with the premises that have sold in order to identify why it happened in order to prevent any reoccurrence. Selling alcohol to under 18’s is extremely serious and we will continue to be proactive in this area”
