Retailers Return to Classroom

Ankeny, Iowa (April 24, 2001) – Retailers across the state will be heading back to the classroom over the next two weeks to discuss retail compliance issues. An educational series, titled Booze, Butts & Bingo: Retail Compliances Training, is being offered to Iowa retailers and will focus on Iowa’s alcohol, tobacco and gaming regulations.

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division designed the educational program and will crisscross the state on a twelve city tour to promote compliance with Iowa’ alcohol, tobacco and gaming regulations. The major focus of the training will be on restricting youth access to alcohol and tobacco products through proper identification procedures. The training is free to all participants and is funded by an appropriation from the Iowa legislature, as well as an Educational Grant from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA).

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack commended the educational effort. “The training provides a unique opportunity for law enforcement and Iowa’s retailers to work together to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of kids and, in the process, ensure a safer, better Iowa.”

In addition to the community meetings, the training will be offered in all 99 county seat towns over the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). Several thousand owners and clerks from taverns, grocery stores, convenience stores and tobacco outlets are expected to participate in the training.

Lynn Walding, ABD Administrator, explained the purpose of the training, “The training presents a unique opportunity to gather law enforcement and retailers in the common effort to reduce and eliminate he sale of alcohol and tobacco products to Iowa’s kids. The vast majority of retailers ”

“As a category, vice crimes account for a disproportional amount of the criminal activity confronting law enforcement officials. Recent studies, for instance, have shown that alcohol misuse alone contributes to nearly 40% of all violent crimes. An effective enforcement strategy targeting vice crimes, therefore, can drastically reduce the overall crime rate in a community. And, given the catastrophic consequences that can flow from a single instance of drunk driving alone, an active educational program is well worth the effort,” Walding added.

The city of Des Moines is a good example of a community that has developed such a strategy. Under Police Chief William Moulder’s command, the Des Moines Police Department adopted a proactive approach to vice activities. Chief Moulder noted, “Despite the common view of being a victimless offense, vice crimes are not without victims. In reality, the harm caused by such offenses attaches to the community as a whole and results in lost individual potential, lost resources expended on enforcement and a lost sense of security throughout the entire community.”

communities on the tour include: Ames, Des Moines (April 26)