On Tuesday, Sept. 20, officers from the McLean District Station and Traffic Safety Services Unit conducted a “shoulder tap” effort near several stores in the Tysons Corner and Vienna areas of Fairfax County.
This initiative is part of the Fairfax County Police Department’s ongoing youth alcohol/business compliance efforts. The locations of the periodic enforcement operations are parking lots of businesses that possess state ABC licenses to sell alcoholic beverages. Fairfax County Police Department cadets approach adults in parking lots and ask them to purchase alcohol for them. If asked whether he is 21 years of age, the police cadet will respond with his true age. If the sale or service of alcohol transpires, a plain-clothes police officer intervenes and places charges against the adult.
Fifty one adults were approached and five arrests were made for illegal purchase of alcohol at the following locations: 7-Eleven, 7451 Patterson Road; 7-Eleven, 1931 Old Gallows Road; 7-Eleven, 8391 Leesburg Pike, 7-Eleven, 8616 Park Street; and 7-Eleven, 2915 Cedar Lane.
The operation was conducted using two teams, each consisting of one plain-clothed officer, one uniformed officer, and one cadet.
Underage possession of alcohol continues to be a concern to the Fairfax County Police Department. For more information on underage drinking and prevention programs, log on and learn more about the Unified Prevention Coalition at unifiedpreventioncoalition.org.
