What Works

Freeborn County ZAPs Illegal Providers of Alcohol
By Sheila Nesbitt, Minnesota Institute of Public Health

In August 2006, law enforcement officers in Freeborn County, MN, responded to a report of a possible burglary at a residence. A neighbor had been asked to watch the home while the family was out of town. He saw several men climb a fence and enter the property.

Law enforcement approached the home.  They saw movement at a window. Officers entered the house with weapons drawn prepared for a burglary in progress.  What they found instead were four 20-year-olds having an underage drinking party.

“Those kids had no idea how serious the situation was. Anytime we approach a scene with guns drawn, the stakes are pretty high,” said Lt. Phil Bartusek of the Albert Lea Police Department in Freeborn County. “Not to mention the inherent danger of the party itself. We have seen a lot of underage drinking parties get out of hand. The risks to themselves and the property were significant.”

The youth were cited for underage drinking.  In many communities in Minnesota and across the nation, that would have been the end of the story.  The youth would receive their citations, pay a fine, and the chapter would be closed.

In Freeborn County, the story didn’t end there. In March 2005, with a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Institute of Public Health, the county kicked off the Zero Adult Provider (ZAP) project. ZAP focuses on holding illegal providers of alcohol accountable. Law enforcement officers are prepared to investigate the source of alcohol. Prosecutors and judges also made illegal provider cases a priority for the court system. In the first year of their project, Freeborn County achieved a 500 percent increase in charges against illegal providers of alcohol to a minor.

Underage drinking is not just about kids saying no.  It’s also about getting adults to stop providing alcohol to kids. Research has shown that restricting illegal access to alcohol is one of the most effective ways to prevent underage drinking.

When Albert Lea officers found the underage youth drinking, they began an investigation into the source of the alcohol.  At first, the youth wouldn’t provide any information. Many departments would give up there.  Freeborn officers kept at it. They questioned the youth individually. They reminded them of the seriousness of a fourth-degree burglary charge. One by one they each provided detailed information about the 22-year old who purchased the alcohol for them.

The next day, the alleged provider was interviewed at the police station. He gave a full confession and was charged with a gross misdemeanor for providing alcohol to a minor.

Because of their partnership with prosecutors, officers know what is needed to form a solid case.  They also know that judges will take this provider case seriously. If found guilty, the provider will likely serve 30 days in jail with an additional 180 to 360 day suspended sentence.  He will pay a fine close to $1,000 and will be on probation for one to two years.

In Freeborn County the message is out.  Don’t provide alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. The ZAP project has been the subject of extensive media coverage. Schools have reported that youth use ZAP as an excuse to avoid underage drinking parties because they know they will likely be caught.

One mother approached an officer to thank him for his work on ZAP.  She said she talked to her kids until she was “blue in the face,” but she knew she wasn’t getting through.  Once ZAP started, she said her kids paid attention and realized that she and the entire county were serious. “You made my job as a parent easier,” she reported.

For more information about the ZAP project and enforcing illegal provider laws, please contact Sheila Nesbitt with the Minnesota Institute of Public Health at snesbitt@miph.org, or please call her at 800-782-1878.