Martin Police and other authorities are cracking down on underage drinking.

Anyone who has visited the local bars around Martin lately would have noticed that there are more police officers in the bars than there were a few months ago. This is because of a grant that the city of Martin has received to fight underage drinking. This grant money is putting more officers both in uniform and undercover in the bars and on the streets checking for underage drinkers.

The Governor’s Highway Office awarded the grant of nearly $33,000 to the city. Capt. Scott Robbins of the Martin Police Department (MPD) said the grant money is also going to be used to teach classes about alcohol awareness.

“Not only are we going to bring in extra officers from time to time to primarily check for underage drinking offenders, but you are going to be seeing the police department being even more proactive in alcohol awareness programs in the local schools, college and anyone else requesting one.” Robbins said.

The implementation of the grant money started last fall and since then the MPD reports that it has had several citations for underage drinking. According to data released today by MPD, there have been over 70 drinking-age violation citations issued since the end of October 2004.

Martin Police is not alone in this effort to deter underage drinking. The UTM Department of Public Safety is working toward this effort as well. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) has also been in Martin doing ID checks and making sure that retail stores and taverns that sell alcohol are in compliance with all laws that apply.