Area Law Enforcement Recognized for Fighting Underage Drinking

Upstate law enforcement officers and departments were recognized for their efforts to keep alcohol out of underage lives.

Members of the 13th Circuit's Alcohol Enforcement Teams were recognized at a special banquet Thursday in Pickens.

“There's been a lot of great work done this year,” said Matt Smith, Alcohol Enforcement Coordinator for the 13th Circuit.

Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark said the work of the circuit's Alcohol Enforcement Teams is so important.

“The beer you take away from those kids at night, or the arrest you make – you save lives,” Clark said. “You may not have known it, we never know what happens when we intervene, but you've saved lives. You've kept us and the coroner from making calls to parents because their 20-year-old, who's a star student or star athlete, is alive. They're not dead. We haven't had to make a call and tell them that their whole life just died.”

Capt. Scott Wilson with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said his agency has been heavily involved with Alcohol Enforcement Teams for over 10 years.

He talked about the GCSO's buy rate operations – where they send an underage youth into a store in an attempt to purchase alcohol.

“Our buy rate was 45 percent,” Wilson said. “That's been shaved down to seven percent currently.”

The GCSO does more merchant education programs regarding underage drinking than any other agency in the country.”

“You've got to attack this problem from both sides,” Wilson said.

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office and the Greenville County Sheriff's Office were recognized for conducting the most compliance checks in their respective counties.

The Central Police department was recognized for having the lowest buy rate in Pickens County. In Greenville County, the Mauldin Police Department was recognized for having the lowest buy rate.

The Comprehensive Enforcement Award, which goes to the agency that did a myriad of different alcohol enforcement operations, from shoulder taps to compliance checks, Smith said.

For Pickens County, the award was given to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office.

For Greenville County, the award was given to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

The Outstanding Initiative Award is given to the agency that “goes above and beyond what is required, thinking outside the box and doing some different operations that aren't normally conducted,” Smith said.

The Clemson Police Department won that award for Pickens County, and Greenville City Police Department won for Greenville County.

Each year an officer from each county is selected for the AET Officer of the Year award.

“It's a very difficult process,” Smith said. “There are so many outstanding officers out there doing a great job.”

Master Deputy Scott Ticknor with the Pickens County Sheriff's Office was named AET Officer of the Year for Pickens County.

“He's a real go-getter,” Smith said. “He's our go-to guy, the right-hand man any time you need underage alcohol enforcement.”

Lt. Marty Wilkes with the Greenville City Police Department was named Greenville County's AET Officer of the Year.

Wilkes dedicates his unit's time and efforts to make it harder for access to youth alcohol,” Smith said.

Faye Nichols, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Services of Pickens County presented with the Outstanding Coalition member award to Dedrick Henderson with the Department of Juvenile Justice “for keeping the youth of this community safe and alcohol-free.”

The Outstanding Community Leadership Award was given to Sgt. Brian Donnelly with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

“They helped to make the enforcement happen, when there wasn't necessarily the manpower,” said Curtis Reece, Prevention Services Director of The Phoenix Center. “He's always been there behind us.”