KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If you are a minor hoping to buy alcohol, your odds are pretty good. Those are the findings of Kansas City’s Regulated Industries Division, which oversees compliance with state liquor laws.
Investigators say a stunning number of the city’s bars, restaurants, convenience and liquor stores are breaking the law.
Since the beginning of the year, the division has gone out on the town with 18 to 20-year-old underage decoys to test any business in possession of a liquor license.
The underage buyers use their actual, state-issued driver’s licenses—clearly marked with red lettering in the upper right corner, which reads, "Not 21 until (21st Birthday).”
Girls are not allowed to wear excessive makeup or wear provocative clothing; guys can’t have facial hair or wear hats, according to Regulated Industries Manager Gary Majors.
"We want them to look young and we want them to get turned away. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen nearly as often as we would like," Majors said.
Testing the Businesses
After more than 200 compliance checks around town, Majors said an estimated 60 percent of the businesses are failing the test and selling alcohol to minors.
The liquor control division started the underage stings this year because a couple businesses were generating a pile of complaints. Majors decided to shift the priority of his investigators, sending them undercover four to five times per month.
"I was shocked," Majors said, referring to the high failure rate. "As a father of six, I’m concerned and I think most parents are as well."
On Wednesday, June 24, NBC Action News tagged along with investigators John Harbrucker and Larissa Tope during an underage sting. An undercover camera was placed on 20-year-old "Greg" (real named not used, per request of Majors) as he and 20-year-old "Gillian" entered establishments and attempted to buy beer.
At each location, either Harbrucker or Tope went inside the business to observe what happened. If an alcohol purchase was made, the other investigator alerted the business manager or owner once the underage decoys paid for the drink and left the premises.
Warning for First Violation
The sting began at Le Fou Frog, a restaurant in the River Market. The underage buyers sat at the bar and each ordered a beer. The bartender asked for identification and correctly turned down "Gillian," telling her she was not allowed to sit at the bar.
However, the bartender then mistakenly placed "Greg" at legal age, serving a Boulevard Wheat on draft.
After the tab was paid, Tope entered the restaurant and informed the bartender and manager on duty that they had sold beer to a minor.
The bartender was incredulous, saying he had closely checked both ID’s.
"What is today’s date? What am I doing wrong? It’s 2009, isn’t it?" he asked.
It was the restaurant’s first violation, so Tope only issued a warning.
