The Ward County Sheriff’s Department has announced the outcome of a Thursday, July 24 alcohol enforcement operation at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds targeting the availability of alcohol to individuals under the age of 21.

The operation involved compliance checks on nine separate points where alcohol as being dispensed and two separate points where tickets could be purchased for the exchange of alcoholic beverages, according to sheriff’s department information. Two of the dispensing locations and both ticket points failed the compliance check.

Additional checks were conducted by the sheriff’s department involving a “shoulder tap” operation, in which an 18-year old female working for the department informed individuals they were not old enough to purchase alcohol and asked them to buy it for them. Seven individuals or pairs of individuals were asked, and one female was charged with delivery of alcohol to a person not 21 years of age.

The overtime and compensation for the operation was funded through a memorandum of understanding with First District Health Unit regarding alcohol prevention strategies for those under 21 years of age.