If you’re looking for a community that’s doing a lot to fight crime before it starts — and make sure existing laws are being followed — the city of Aurora might be a good example.

Aurora’s police department is addressing the problems associated with underage drinking through compliance checks. The hope is, by making sure businesses aren’t selling alcohol and tobacco to underage customers, a life or many lives can be saved.

Most recently, investigators from the Aurora Police Department’s Special Operations Group blanketed the city on July 2 as they staged compliance checks at 124 businesses citywide to assure they were abiding by laws governing the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

“Unfortunately, the Independence Day holiday seems to draw an increase in people who drink alcohol and when you mix alcohol and illegal fireworks, the results can be tragic,” said Chief of Police Greg Thomas. “It is also a holiday where college students are home for summer break, so our aim was to make sure that businesses with the privilege of holding liquor licenses were being responsible in who they were selling to.”

Thomas lauded the 69 businesses that passed for alcohol compliance out of 83 which were checked, he had one piece of advice for the 14 that failed:

“Please tighten your procedures,” said the chief. “Eighty-three percent of the businesses did exactly what they should but when it comes to combatting underage drinking and other dangers alcohol can bring, we cannot afford less than 100 percent compliance.”

Clerks at the following businesses failed to ask an underage person working with police for identification and were served with notices to appear in court for selling alcohol to a minor:

CVS in the 2200 block of S. Eola Road; Luigi’s House in the 700 block of N. Route 59; Momoya Japanese Restaurant, in the 3500 block of E. New York Street; OMango in the 1000 block of N. Route 59; Save A Lot in the 200 block of N. Lake Street; Harmony’s Corner in the 500 block of S. River Street; The Web in the 100 block of W. Downer Place; One Stop in the 200 block of S. Lake; Tia Wanna in the 2100 block of W. Galena Boulevard.; Kwik Pick in the 900 block of N. Lake; Northgate Liquors & Food in the 800 block of N. Lake; Wal-Mart in the 2900 block of Kirk Road; Jay’s Food Pantry in the 3400 block of Montgomery Road; and Super Mercado El Gallito in the 1300 block of E. New York Street.

Ninety-Two percent of the 41 business checked for compliance with tobacco laws passed. Those that did not were the BP Amoco Gas Station in the 300 block of E. Galena; Mobil Gas in the1300 block of N. Farnsworth Avenue; and Karas Petro in the 600 block of E. Ashland Avenue.

Clerks at those establishments were also served with notices to appear in court for selling tobacco to an underage person.

SOURCE: city of Aurora press release