MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — The South-Central Alcohol Task Force completed eight alcohol compliance checks at area bars and restaurants on Friday, with one failing the test.
The checks involve law enforcement sending in a confidential informant under the age of 21 to try and purchase beer, wine, or liquor. If the clerk or server does not ask to see a driver’s license or other form of identification that would clearly show they are not legally allowed to buy the drink, the task force steps in and issues a citation. Employees at the businesses that are being checked are not penalized for being fooled by a fake ID, or in the case of a straw purchaser who is buying for someone else.
The only failure on Friday was The Ammo Box Bar and Grill in Ethan. The employee is potentially liable for a Class 2 Misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to one month in jail and a $500 fine. The failure is the first for The Ammo Box in the last 24 months, meaning it could see a $1,000 fine. If a second were to occur, that brings up to a $2,000 penalty. A third jeopardizes the bar’s liquor license.
Mike’s Corner and American Legion #261 in Ethan, Wermer’s Lounge and West’s One Stop in Mt. Vernon, and Lee’s Red Barn, the Kongo Klub, and Wild Oak Golf Course in Mitchell were the seven businesses that passed.
The South-Central Alcohol Task Force is made up of the Aurora County Sheriff’s Office, Davison County Sheriff’s Office, Miner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mitchell Police Department.