City will receive $62,066 to Reduce Alcohol Problems

The San Rafael Police  Department has been awarded a $62,066 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol-related crime. The grant covers the 2017-2018 fiscal year. This grant is important to San Rafael to increase protection for youth and to shut down problem locations that have contributed to an increase in crime. The grant is one of 52 awarded in California to local law enforcement agencies through ABC’s Grant Assistance Program (GAP). 

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 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, obviously intoxicated patrons, 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.