SPARKS -- On Saturday the Sparks Police Department joined other local agencies and continued its efforts to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors by conducting age verification compliance checks at 25 local businesses that sell alcoholic beverages.

The compliance checks were funded by a grant awarded to the department by "Join Together Northern Nevada".

Sparks police officers, with the assistance of a volunteer who was under twenty-one years of age, attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages from those 25 establishments.  3 of the businesses sold alcohol to the minor.

There are future joint operations planned with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, the Nevada Highway Patrol, the Reno Police Department, the University of Nevada Reno Police Department and the Washoe County School Police Department. With the joint operations they will be able to simultaneously check businesses county wide and not in just one jurisdiction.

Businesses in Compliance:  

1. Fair Deal Market, 1695 Sullivan Ln.

2. Prater Way Market, 2100 Prater Way

3. V Food Market, 1675 Victorian Ave.

4. Jacksons Food Mart, 1600 Victorian Ave.

5. C-Mart, 829 C Street

6. Pyramid Discount Liquor, 300 Pyramid Way

7. Midget Market, 128 Victorian Ave.

8. Sinclairs, 11 E. Victorian Ave.

9. Discount Liquor, 545 Nichols Way

10. Am-Pm, 205 McCarran Blvd.

11. Terribles, 350 McCarran Blvd.

12. Nemos Market, 445 Wright Way

13. Citi-Mart, 91 Prater Way

14. JB Liquor, 538 Greenbrae Dr.

15. Star Liquor, 1495 E. Prater Way

16. Around the Corner Liquor, 780 E. Prater Way

17. Rainbow Market, 1225 Market St

18. Pauls Market, 1550 Vance Way

19. Jacksons Food Mart, 2805 N. McCarran Blvd.

20. Vista Mart, 2905 Vista Blvd.

21. Safeway Gas, 2808 Vista Blvd.

22. Quick Stop, 125 Vista Blvd. 

Businesses not in Compliance: 

• Dhaka Market, 2164 Victorian Ave.
• Am-Pm, 1701 Victorian Ave.
• PJ's Discount Liquor, 1293 Baring Blvd.

A citation was issued to the three employee's for selling an alcoholic beverage to a minor.  The fine for this offense is a minimum of $632.00.  Such an offense can also jeopardize the establishments license to sell alcohol. One employee was issued a notice of civil infraction for not having proof of attending a state certified alcohol awareness education program which is required by state law.  Fines for having employees who furnish or sell alcohol who have not attended a certified alcohol education course range from $500.00 to $5,000.00 and are levied against the business by the Nevada Taxation Department.

Citizens are asked to report the sales of alcohol to minors, possession of alcohol by minors, or other violations of the laws regarding the use of alcohol by minors to their local police agency.