Oakland Training Gives San Bernardino Police Tools to Curb Alcohol-Related Problems

A team of San Bernardino Police Department officers took advantage of an opportunity to learn firsthand how Oakland is controlling alcohol-related crime. They have now returned to apply that knowledge to San Bernardino. “San Bernardino – like many cities in the U.S. – has its share of alcohol-related crimes,” said Lt. Rich Lawhead. “Like Oakland, we have a Deemed Approved Ordinance, and have now gained some new, as well as proven, effective methods of enforcement and education surrounding this type of regulation. In 1993, Oakland was the first municipality in California to adopt what is called a 'Deemed Approved Ordinance,'” or DAO. This local control measure is designed to improve business practices at bars, markets and stores that sell alcohol. Last month the group of five officers took a day and a half trip to Oakland to learn firsthand how police there are successfully enforcing the DAO. “We can either keep chasing after problems generated by poorly run businesses or work more proactively with those businesses,” said Lawhead. “The approaches our team has seen used in Oakland will enable us take a new approach to cleaning up the city.” San Bernardino passed a DAO ordinance in 2010, but it did not initially include a fee. Most cities with effective DAO enforcement activities have a small, dedicated fee that can support several officers doing proactive work with the licensees to avoid and reign in problems. “Our team is already using the approaches we learned in Oakland,” said Sgt. Shauna Gates. “We have recently conducted minor decoy operations as part of the Byrne grant — three of the liquor stores in the target area were cited for illegal alcohol sales and one was cited for tobacco sales to minors. Further, we are developing a comprehensive, sustainable enforcement plan modeled after Oakland’s successful approach. In this way we’re leveraging the Byrne funds to bring long term positive impact across the city.” Oakland’s approach: Oakland created its Alcohol Beverage Action Team (ABAT), which conducts inspections, shoulder-tap and minor decoy operations, as well as investigations of unlicensed businesses selling alcohol. The team also educates retailers on proper alcohol-serving practices and how to spot fake identification to prevent underage drinking. The unit responds to citizen complaints about licenses linked to excessive alcohol-related nuisances, such as public drunkenness, noise, blight, and drug activity. Oakland is one of more than 20 municipalities throughout California using local ordinances and land use policies to reduce drunken driving, public intoxication, assaults, blight and other alcohol-related problems. “The goal is to work with businesses so they can stay in compliance,” said Jennifer Sena, an Oakland police officer with the ABAT unit. "We also teach owners crime prevention strategies.” The team also conducts regular shoulder-tap and minor decoy operations, and investigates establishments believed to be involved in the unlawful sale of alcohol or criminal activity in general. The team’s activities are funded through a $1,500 fee paid by alcohol licensees, not by taxpayers. Last year, the ABAT unit conducted 549 inspections that resulted in 90 abatement notices issued to local alcohol retailers. In the first half of this year, the team has already conducted 318 inspections that have resulted in 151 abatement notices. A handful of stores have been cited in recent years for illegal sales to minors, buying or selling stolen merchandise, and even selling illegal drugs such as khat, a plant native to North Africa that has amphetamine-like effects. Since its inception the team has closed more than a dozen bars and liquor stores for violating the law and has imposed stricter operating conditions on dozens of others. “Our goal is always public safety,” Sena said. “When we see well run stores and bars, we see problems decrease. That’s good for business and that’s good for everybody.” The Oakland training trip was funded by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national community development support organization helping community residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity.