The Santa Monica Police Department has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol-related crimes.
SMPD Lt. Marhaba said the grant was important to the City.
“This is important to the City of Santa Monica in order to increase protection for youth and to shut down problem locations that have contributed to an increase in crime,” Marhaba said.
The grants strengthen local law enforcement efforts by combining the efforts of local police officers and ABC agents, who have expertise in alcoholic beverage laws and can help communities reduce alcohol-related problems.
The funds will be used to reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors, sales to obviously intoxicated patrons, illegal solicitations of alcohol, and other criminal activities such as the sale and possession of illegal drugs.
ABC Director Jacob Appelsmith the program improves the quality of life in neighborhoods.
“We’ve seen a real difference in the communities where the grant program resources have been invested,” Appelsmith said.
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.
Since then, 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.
