BARTON COUNTY — The Kansas Department of Alcohol Beverage Control conducted a second sting for 2014 on April 11 and while the results have improved from the first sting, more needs to be done.
There were three sales of alcohol to a minor out of 22 attempts in Barton County. The compliance rate was 86 percent.
“I was a little disappointed,” said CynDee Christiansen, Barton County Alcohol and Drug Prevention Task Force. “I’d love to be at 100 percent compliance.”
In past years, the county has been at 100 percent compliance. “I’d like to see it back at 100 percent,” said Christiansen. “People get complacent.”
Christiansen said different businesses from the first sting failed. In one instance, there was a cash register override. The ID was checked at the second failure, but alcohol was sold anyway. In the third one, alcohol was sold without checking the ID.
The Task Force has had two trainings so far this year. Christiansen said attendance at both trainings was low. The Task Force plans to hold a free third training for retail businesses in May.
Christiansen said there are easy ways to tell if a buyer is a minor.  Driver’s licenses for minors are vertical instead of horizontal.
Also, “Some retail stores have automatic scanners,” she said. “The machine tells you their age.”
Particularly with the warmer summer months coming up, for the well-being of the county and families, Christiansen would like to see these numbers improve.
The last sting, conducted March 15,  four out of fourteen businesses sold alcohol to an underage buyer.
Call 793-1930 and ask for Christiansen for more information.