January 27, 2023 the Livingston County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) working with the Midland Empire Alcohol Task Force (MEATF) utilized grant money and an 18-year-old female to check area businesses for compliance on serving/selling or supplying alcohol beverage(s) to minors.

The minor was provided with the funds to purchase alcoholic beverage and monitored entering area establishments with her proper Missouri identification card.  The deputies and MEATF agent checked 14 locations in Chillicothe and Livingston County with only 1 violation.  An employee of a business in the 300 block of Park Lane in Chillicothe actually checked the underage person's identification and then supplied the alcoholic beverage.  Deputies then made contact with that employee who had obviously miscalculated the minor's age and issued a citation for the alleged supply of intoxicants to a minor, and provided an Associate Court of March 01, 2023.

We were very pleased we only found one violation and that being more of a calculation error instead of an intentional violation.  We are thankful for the assistance provided by Midland Empire Alcohol Task Force as their grant funds paid for our overtime expenses and funds to purchase or attempt to purchase the alcoholic beverages.  MEATF and Division of Liquor Control will follow up with training opportunities for area businesses and their employees.

The community should also appreciate area businesses and employees for doing things right and holding their end of keeping alcoholic beverages out of the possession of minors and helping to minimize the issues associated with such.

Sheriff Steve Cox