OIU agents urge Ohioans to celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness and during college fests

With St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness and parties on college campuses, agents with the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Ohio Investigative Unit offer these tips to ensure that Ohioans are celebrating responsibly.

For liquor establishments:

• Ensure you are properly checking identification to verify your customers are in fact 21 or older.
• Offer customers non-alcoholic beverages and food options.
• Do not serve anyone who is intoxicated and make sure your staff is communicating with one another.
• Watch for anyone attempting to tamper with drinks.
• If you’re planning on having a large crowd, invest in properly licensed security guards to help oversee the day’s operations.
• Offer alternative rides home – such as deals with cab companies.

College parties –hosts/organizers:

• Ensure everyone drinking alcohol at your party is 21 or older.
• Have sober friends you trust at the party to ensure no one under 21 is drinking, and to minimize any potential issues such as sexual or physical assaults.
• If you feel your party is out of hand, close it down or contact law enforcement.
• If someone leaves your party and is involved in a crash or an assault, you may be held both criminally and civilly liable.

Patrons or party guests:

• Plan on having someone who has not been drinking drive or make arrangements to have an alternative mode of transportation home.
• If you’re not 21, do not drink.
• Drink tampering happens. If you lose sight of your drink, get a new one. Watch for suspicious behavior and also make sure you and your friends leave together.
• Do not furnish alcohol to anyone you know or suspect is not 21.

Liquor establishments need to ensure they have a valid and active liquor permit in order to sell alcohol.  To report an establishment selling alcohol illegally, contact OIU at #677 and your complaint will be investigated.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Ohio Investigative Unit agents are plain-clothed fully sworn peace officers. OIU is charged with enforcing the state’s liquor laws and is the only state law enforcement agency specifically tasked with investigating food stamp fraud crimes. Agents also investigate tobacco violations. Follow OIU on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ohio-Investigative-Unit/165782203506269 and on Twitter by logging onto http://twitter.com/Ohio_OIU.