The notice by police is intended to put alcohol establishments on notice that they need to be vigilent about checking IDs and not selling alcohol to minors.
The Police Department Strategic Impact Unit will be conducting periodic compliance checks at all city bars, restaurants and establishments that sell alcohol, according to police.
The checks will be ongoing, beginning on Jan. 1, and will seek any establishments that illegally sell alcohol to people who are under the legal drinking age of 21 years.
The overall goal is to curb alcohol sales to minors and to deter underage drinking, the Police Department said in announcing the program, according to police.
The notice by police is intended to put alcohol establishments on notice that they need to be vigilent about checking IDs and not selling alcohol to people younger than 21 years.
The department periodically sends out underage people to bars, restaurants and liquor stores to see if they can be served.
As recently as November, the city License Commission issued temporary liquor-license suspensions to 10 establishments that were caught serving minors. In each instance, the compliance checks involved underage and undercover Springfield police cadets being sent in to purchase alcohol.
The suspensions were for between five and 10 days. Two employees at one convenience store were also fired.