With the sun finally shining on the first weekend of April, customers were streaming in to area stores, bars and restaurants looking for a way to enjoy it. Unfortunately for some, that included trying to illegally obtain alcohol.
Following an unannounced sweep of area businesses April 4, half of the Kirkland businesses visited by the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) and the Kirkland Police Department failed liquor compliance checks.
WSLCB Capt. Justin Nordhorn said County Enforcement officers checked 10 businesses for sales and service of alcohol to minors across town and police cited five establishments for serving minors. The businesses received administrative action against their liquor licenses for selling alcohol to investigative aides working with police and liquor enforcement officers. An initial violation is punished with either a five day suspension or a $500 fine and escalates to a cancellation of the liquor license after the fourth violation.
Nordhorn said he was concerned by the high number of citations from the day-long sting and said the state’s average compliance rate is around 80 percent.
“We’ll be doing more compliance checks here,” he said. “We do see a lot of youthful folks in Kirkland. We like to create that awareness that we are checking IDs.”
Liquor enforcement officers review the past two years when determining fines or license suspensions. The server, bartender or clerk at the point of sale is also held accountable and is given a criminal citation for serving minors alcohol, a gross misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine and or 1 year in jail.
The WSLCB and local authorities regularly conduct compliance checks of area businesses licensed to sell alcohol. These businesses include spirits, beer and wine restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, neighborhood markets, taverns, wine bars and sports/entertainment facilities. Compliance checks are proven tools to reduce the sale of alcohol to minors.
The Slip Restaurant manager Alicia Baker, who was on duty that weekend when the business was handed a citation for a serving a minor alcohol, said they’re planning on bringing a Liquor Control agent in to meet all the employees and get them refreshed on proceedures. Taking a break from a new employee orientation as the busy summer season approaches, she admitted the restaurant hadn’t adequately prepared their staff to screen out underage drinkers.
“It was our first busy, sunny weekend,” she said. “It was our first-ever liquor issue in the 13 years we’ve been here. There’s a first time for everything, I guess.”
Police and liquor enforcement officers conduct compliance checks assisted by investigative aides ages 18 to 20. They must present their true identification if asked by a clerk. However, they may attempt to be evasive if asked their age but not asked for their I.D.
Kirkland Police Spokesman Allan O’Neill said the raids, which are assisted by local police, are not intended to drive the businesses to ruin, but rather to educate the staff and management that they’re out there and watching.
“Sometimes there’s over-service, people using false IDs and sometimes they’re not even carding them,” he said. “There’s always, with bars and stuff, issues with liquor code enforcement.”
While the concentration of bars downtown naturally draws a lot of attention from police activity, he said police were not necessarily targeting any one business. Capt. Nordhorn said the WSLCB raids are only one part of their strategy to keep drinking alcohol in safe and responsible hands.
“Penalties are intended to encourage compliance,” he said. “It’s a way of encouraging them to take some corrective action and to stay out of trouble.”
Businesses that sold alcohol to a minor:
* The Slip, 80 Kirkland Ave.
* Pub 85, 12859 NE 85th St.
* Brickhouse Pub, 9714 Juanita Dr. NE
* Bishops Ale House, 11848 98th Ave. NE
* The Wet Bar, 106 Kirkland Ave.
Businesses that did not sell alcohol to a minor:
* TGI Fridays, 505 Park Pl.
* Time Out Sports Bar, 218 Central Way
* J Bay Bar & Grill, 9736 NE 120th Pl.
* The Keg, 10416 NE 38th Pl.
* Safeway, 12519 NE 85th SE
