Test Purchase Operation in The Forest of Dean
Written by Shaun Moore on March 30, 2010
Off licenses in the Forest of Dean were tested during an undercover operation on Saturday March 27 to see if they would sell alcohol to underage volunteers.
Police officers from the Forest North and Forest South Safer Community Teams (SCTs) tested 13 off licenses throughout the Forest of Dean.
Two underage volunteers, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old girl, successfully purchased alcohol from one of the premises without being asked to produce identification.
Officers issued a fixed penalty ticket to the individual responsible for the sales. They are also working closely with the offending premises to ensure that their staff are suitably trained to stop this from happening again.
County Council funded officer PC Duncan Sleeman has been overseeing licensing issues within the Forest of Dean for almost two years now.
Since he has taken on this role, the SCTs have been working very closely with Trading Standards resulting in a massive reduction in the sale of age restricted products to children.
Officers conduct licensing visits as part of their daily routine patrols and regular test purchase operations continue to make the availability of alcohol to children as difficult as possible.
In the last year, PC Sleeman has also carried out two operations at licensed premises using a passive drugs dog.
Operations such as this ensure that pubs in the Forest of Dean remain a safe place to be and they provide support to the premises in their efforts to keep drugs out.
To date, 62 licensed premises are members of Pubwatch Online which gives them direct access to the 14 photographs of those currently banned from entering the pubs because of their behaviour.
PC Duncan Sleeman, from the Forest North SCT, said: “Together with Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards, we have a responsibility for the enforcement of legislation relating to the sale of age-restricted products such as tobacco, alcohol, knives and fireworks.
“Operations like these aim to tackle the availability of alcohol to young people and therefore protect the health, safety and welfare of young people and the communities in which they live and helps to prevent anti-social behaviour.
“These Results are very positive and demonstrate the continued work of the Trading Standards, Safer Community Teams and the shops themselves.”
Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “The 63 police officers the county council agreed to pay for are all doing a fantastic job in their communities, forging important relationships and partnerships to bring major benefits to the people they serve.
“It’s great to hear about this link-up with our Trading Standards team; undercover operations such as these are key to protecting young people from the very real dangers of under-age drinking.”
