License Commision Sets Penalties

Cambridge's License Commission has set penalties for the 15 package stores caught selling alcohol to underage, undercover constables during last month's sting operation.

The exact dates of the liquor license suspension have not yet been set, said Michael T. McMahon, the investigative officer for the commission.

Those establishments, including the Square's Cardullo's, who sold to the underage constables three times will have their liquor licenses suspended for three days. Louie's Superette and Broadway Market, along with the other stores who sold to underage buyers twice, will have their licenses revoked for a day.

All of the 15 stores who sold to underage constables are required to have their employees attend a four-hour education program.

One-time violators, including Li'l Peach, are required only to have all of their employees attend the training session.

Michael T. McMahon, the commission investigator who is coordinating the operation, originally proposed that three-time violators be subject to a seven-day suspension. That sentence was reduced when the educational "Tips" program, developed in collaboration with Cambridge's Substance Abuse Task Force, was added instead.

"We're hoping that this program will help to educate the package store owners and eventually the restaurants and bars," Scali said.

"The Tips program is a preventive intervention program, not just disciplining people, but educating them in new skills," said Cambridge Substance Abuse Task Force project director Margo B. Deane. The four-hour training session will focus on how to deal with intoxicated or underage buyers and how to judge a buyer's proof of age.

The Task Force expects 150 people to participate in the training session, Deane said. The package stores involved will be paying for the cost of the program, which is $35 per person. Each participant will receive a textbook, and the balance of the money paid will be put in a fund to develop programs to educate people about underage drinking, Deane said.

Although the Task Force is not working with Harvard College at this point to prevent underage drinking, "our goal is to get more and more people involved in the process," said Deane.

Letters detailing the Tips program will go out at the end of the week or early next week, Deane said.

The License Commission's battle against underage drinking is not over. Rodriguez said that the Commission plans to revisit the package stores targeted in January, as well as beginning an investigation of the city's restaurants and bars.

"The next step will be actually barrooms and pouring establishments and if they're successful, we'll take it from there," said McMahon.

"This is going to be an ongoing investigatory tool so long as I am on the commission," License Commission Chair Alex P. Rodriguez said."

"We haven't quite gotten up to speed now...we will," said executive officer of the License Commission Richard Scali. Problems with staff shortages have to be worked out first, Scali said.

The Licence Commission's investigation is focused exclusively on the distribution of alcohol to underage buyers at this point. McMahon said there is no emphasis on the problem of fake IDs.