ALE Impact

Back in February, when funding for Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) was on the legislative chopping block, the argument was that we don’t need such a large organization to enforce alcohol laws (ALE is a statewide program with 112 special agents). The suggestion was to eliminate it and give the funding to local agencies to do the same work. The budget did get cut (by about 8%) but ALE survived the battle. So what have they been up to?

ALE does a lot to make sure license holders follow the rules. For instance, they run sting operations to test bars and restaurants that sell alcohol and prevent them from selling to minors. A typical operation has 19 or 20-year olds going into establishments to see if they are carded and whether alcohol will be served to them. Citations are then issued and the matter is referred to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to see if license restrictions are warranted.

What is usually less visible is the enforcement of alcohol related policies, such as those covering other activities where alcohol is present. In a recent case, ALE busted 10 people, including a county commissioner. Those accused were caught gambling in three different homes. Illegal gambling isn’t usually associated with alcohol enforcement, but ALE conducted the raids and made the arrests.

If money remains tight, it is likely the issue of separate funding for alcohol enforcement will be back on the table next year. Many states keep enforcement at the local level with a few inspectors around to watch for paperwork-style violations of the liquor code. So ALE will probably remain an attractive target for cuts. After all, it’s a popular bookkeeping ploy to eliminate costs in one area and shift them to another. By pushing enforcement onto local jurisdictions, our state politicians can point to savings, while simultaneously giving the money to local agencies with stipulations about testing for alcohol violations.