Success Story: Orange County Drug Free Coalition

From picture: Mayor Crotty talks with local reporters about the impact of the operation

Orange County Drug Free Coalition Teams Up with Law Enforcement to Reduce Underage Drinking

Project Graduation "Reducing Underage Drinking" Sting Operation

Law enforcement officers hit the streets over the weekend for a cooperative operation targeting retail businesses selling alcohol to underage persons.

The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco and local law enforcement agencies announced the results of Project Graduation -"Reducing Underage Drinking" today in the Orange County Administration Bldg. 201 S. Rosalind Avenue. The sting operation included 221 compliance checks and 28 arrests.

The program, Project Graduation - "Reducing Underage Drinking", is geared to reduce underage students from purchasing and consuming alcohol. Project Graduation allows businesses and law enforcement to send a message to the community that underage drinking will not be tolerated. Agents conducted a two-day sweep throughout the county, targeting retail businesses that put profit ahead of safety. The sting operation has had great results and many arrests were made over the two days.

Participants in the announcement included Mayor Crotty, Public Safety Director Mike McCoy and Capitan Mark Bong with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco. Other participants include; Orange County Sheriff's Office, Orlando Police Department, Winter Park Police Department, University of Central Florida Police Department, Maitland Police Department, Winter Garden Police Department and Central Florida Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

For more information on drug and alcohol prevention, please visit the coalition webpage.

To view "Project Graduation - Reducing Underage Drinking Sting" Channel 6 video footage, click here. (wmv, 3.87 MB)

To view "Project Graduation - Reducing Underage Drinking Operation " in PDF format, click here (pdf, 407 KB)