BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford Police Department is intensifying its fight against underage drinking through its participation in the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) campaign, a collaborative effort with the State of Maine aimed at curbing alcohol consumption among minors.
JoAnne W. Fisk, Police Chief of Biddeford, announced Thursday that the department has been conducting retail compliance inspections as part of its initiative to prevent illegal alcohol sales to minors.
These inspections, carried out in November and December, involved random, unannounced checks of licensed alcohol retailers in the area.
During these operations, undercover purchases were attempted to identify establishments that may be selling alcohol to individuals under the legal drinking age.
The compliance checks targeted both on-premises licensees, which are venues that serve alcohol for consumption on the premises, and off-premises licensees, which are locations where alcohol is sold for consumption elsewhere.
The EUDL campaign’s strategies are grounded in evidence-based practices, encompassing proactive and reactive enforcement, education, and early intervention.
These measures are designed to address illegal access to or possession of alcohol by minors, as well as crimes related to providing alcohol to underage individuals.
The campaign also tackles community attitudes and norms that inadvertently support underage drinking, despite its association with a multitude of risks including death, serious injuries, overdoses, and various forms of violence and mental health issues.
The Biddeford Police Department’s involvement in the EUDL campaign is part of a larger commitment outlined in the Memorandum of Legal Understanding Agreement for Services for the fiscal year.
