IL: Liquor inspection pilot program getting high marks for focusing resources locally
By Greg Bishop
October 12, 2017
ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK-A pilot program dubbed LC13 by those involved has the state re-allocating resources to local governments in order to inspect retail liquor establishments. And it’s getting some high marks from those participating in the program.
The program began in 2015 and has the state training local inspectors to do compliance checks with liquor establishments like bars and liquor stores. So far, the state says they’ve tapped 61 local governments to do the inspections for nearly 5,480 establishments.
The governments range from the Wabash County Health Department with seven establishments to the St. Clair County Health Department with 425.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s department is part of the pilot and is responsible for inspecting 49 businesses. Chief Deputy Greg Dixon said the program helps foster better working relationships with liquor businesses.
“We enhance our relationship to the point that [liquor licence holders will] call us on other issues unrelated to the LC13 project that we probably would have never gotten a call for before, just because we have developed a better relationship with them,” Dixon said.
One of four local inspectors in Douglas County tapped by the state, Dixon said they now get calls from liquor establishments with compliance questions, such as whether they can hang certain signage about liquor.
“Before they would have just done it, just put it up,” Dixon said. “Now they know I’ll be there in 30 minutes or less.”