Douglas County sheriff's deputies are preparing to make the rounds handing out citations and warnings at local liquor retailers with the hope of building awareness about the problem of underage drinking.
Explorers from the Boy Scouts of America will be infiltrating the stores, outfitted with identification that clearly demonstrates that they are underage, said Sgt. Lance Modispacher.
"We do it almost every year," he said. "They know that the status of their liquor license hinges on them following the rules. We just like to reinforce that."
The department hopes to send to Explorers, ages 14 to 20, into every store that sells alcohol in the county. "It will generally be liquor stores and convenience stores, but we are not going to leave out grocery stores," Modispacher said.
The program, funded by the Nevada Juvenile Commission and the Division of Child and Family Services, will continue for several months.
Merchants who sell alcohol to minors can be sent to jail for up to six months and pay fines up to $1,000. In the East Fork District Courts, fines for selling alcohol to a minor average about $160.
County commissioners can also revoke the license of a retailer who makes repeated violations.
"We want to do everything we can to make sure we can all the kids home safe on Friday and Saturday nights," Modispacher said.
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