The Bakersfield Police Department has been awarded a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to assist in education and enforcement of alcohol related laws.

This grant is one of 52 that were awarded to local law enforcement agencies in California through ABC’s Grant Assistance Program (GAP).

Grants such as this are designed to strengthen local law enforcements efforts by combining resources 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 keep alcohol away from minors and bring penalties such as fines, suspensions, or revocations against businesses that violate the law.

The Bakersfield Police Department’s Vice Unit will use the funds to help reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors, continued service to obviously intoxicated patrons, as well as the illegal sale and possession of illegal drugs in and around ABC licensed establishments.

ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.