Berkeley, California (Monday, August 09, 2021) - Police Chief Louis announced today that the Berkeley Police Department has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol-related harm in the community.
“This is important to the City of Berkeley in order to increase protection for youth and to shut down problem locations that have contributed to an increase in crime,” said Chief Louis.
The grant is one of nearly 50 awarded in California to local law enforcement agencies through ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP).
The grants strengthen local law enforcement efforts by combining the talents of local police officers and ABC agents. ABC agents have expertise in alcoholic beverage laws and can help communities reduce alcohol-related harm.
“The program can improve the quality of life in neighborhoods,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “We’ve seen a real difference in the communities where the grant program resources have been invested.”
The APP 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 and cause harm to the community.
The funds will be used to reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors, obviously intoxicated patrons, illegal solicitations of alcohol, and other criminal activities such as the sale and possession of illegal drugs.
The APP program has distributed millions to local law enforcement to combat alcohol-related harm.
ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.
