Kendall Sheriff's Office Gets Grant to Enforce Tobacco Laws

The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office has been chosen by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission to receive a grant in the amount of $1,100 to establish a comprehensive educational and enforcement program addressing minimum age tobacco laws.

“We are pleased to receive this grant to enhance our efforts to reduce youth access to tobacco products. The health of the children in our community is very important and we are dedicated to reducing the availability of tobacco products to minors through enforcement efforts,” said Sheriff Dwight A. Baird in a news release.

The Illinois Liquor Control Commission, the state’s lead agency in developing strategies to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors, annually awards $1 million in grants to communities that are willing to implement its Tobacco Enforcement Program. Kendall County Sheriff’s Office Community Policing Deputies will conduct three compliance checks of retailers of tobacco products in unincorporated Kendall County. Prior to the first compliance check, all tobacco retailers will be educated on the sale of tobacco and will receive the Commission’s Tobacco Retailer Kit which includes a review of state minimum age tobacco laws, required signage, and training guides for their personnel.

Tobacco retailers within the entire program currently average over 80 percent compliance rates. During the year of 2016, tobacco retailers in unincorporated Kendall County were above the state average for compliance. For additional information about the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, visit their website at www.state.il.us/lcc.

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