259545 Fee Ordinance Decreases Alcohol Law Violations in Alameda County: An Environmental Strategy that has Worked!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM

Avani Desai, MPH (c) , Global Health Department, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Linda Pratt, MA, Member APHA , CommPre, Horizon Services, Inc., Hayward, CA
Linda M. Bosma, MA, PhD , Bosma Consulting, LLC, Eagan, MN
Unincorporated Alameda County communities (UAC) have historically had an overconcentration of alcohol establishments. UAC communities have higher numbers of retailers selling to minors, adults buying alcohol for minors, and businesses being poor neighbors in the community. In 2006, Alameda County adopted the Alcoholic Beverage Sales Regulation Ordinance (ABSR), mandating an annual fee of $800 for every alcohol establishment in UAC. Since implementation, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) has consistently conducted minor decoy operations, shoulder tap operations, fee collections, responsible beverage service training (RBS) and annual inspections of all 134 establishments located in UAC. Financial penalties are assessed when an establishment is in violation of the ordinance. Evaluation results show an increase in law enforcement operations, increased compliance with payments and inspections (97% compliance with payments in 2010 and 100% inspections completed), a decrease in the number of businesses selling to minors (34% to 17% from 2008 to 2010), and an increase in the number of business employees' understanding of laws, with 99% of licensees attending RBS. The ABSR ordinance is an evidence-based model for other communities to increase enforcement, decrease retail access to youth and increase barriers to underage drinking. The UAC community has improved multiagency coordination and stakeholder collaboration as a result of implementing the ordinance. Relationships with local businesses have been reinforced, resulting in greater compliance with local and state laws. Crime data analyses have been conducted, correlating the ordinance's implementation with decreased violent crime rates. This presentation will describe the ABSR and outcomes of enforcement.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe and demonstrate the effectiveness of fees on businesses in increasing law enforcement. 2. Identify the relationship between increased fees, increased law enforcement, and decreased crime/violations. 3. Describe how to emulate similar strategies in other communities throughout the United States.

Keywords: Law, Community Benefits

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked in the ATOD Prevention field for 22 years. For the past 15 years I have served as Program Director of CommPre/Horizon Services, Inc. CommPre has led efforts to adopt and enforce several alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and prescription drug ordinances to reduce and prevent community drug problems. I also oversee two drug-free community coalitions and the MEDS Coalition, which was instrumental in having Alameda County pass the Safe Medication Disposal ordinance.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.