Redlands Police Receive Grant to Fight Alcohol-Related Crime

REDLANDS>> The Redlands Police Department has been awarded a $24,491 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control to battle alcohol-related crime. The Redlands City Council approved the grant at their July 5 meeting. “This is important to the City in order to increase protection for youth and to provide additional education and enforcement efforts at establishments that sell alcohol with the goal to reduce alcohol-related crime,” said Redlands Chief of Police Mark Garcia. The grant is one of 54 awarded in California to local law enforcement agencies through ABC’s Grant Assistance Program. The grants strengthen local law enforcement efforts by combining the efforts of local police officers and ABC agents. ABC agents have expertise in alcoholic beverage laws and can help communities reduce alcohol-related problems. “The program improves the quality of life in neighborhoods,” said Acting ABC Director Ramona Prieto. “We’ve seen a real difference in the communities where the grant program resources have been invested.” The GAP Program was created in 1995 to strengthen partnerships between ABC and local law enforcement agencies. The program is designed to put bad operators out of business, keep alcohol away from minors and bring penalties such as fines, suspensions or revocations against businesses that violate the law. The funds will be used to reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors and obviously intoxicated patrons, and to curb illegal solicitations of alcohol and other criminal activities such as the sale and possession of illegal drugs. The GAP Program has distributed over $20 million to local law enforcement to combat alcohol-related crime. ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.