The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded a $66,000 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol-related crime.

“This is important to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department in order to increase protection for youth and to shut down problem locations that have contributed to an increase in crime,” Deputy Patrick McCulloch said.

The grants strengthen local law enforcement efforts by combining the efforts of local police officers and ABC agents. ABC agents have expertise in alcoholic beverage laws and can help communities reduce alcohol-related problems.

“The program improves the quality of life in neighborhoods,” said ABC Director Timothy Gorsuch. “We’ve seen a real difference in the communities where the grant program resources have been invested.”

The GAP Program was created in 1995 to strengthen partnerships between ABC and local law enforcement agencies. The program is designed to put bad operators out of business, keep alcohol away from minors and bring penalties such as fines, suspensions or revocations against businesses that violate laws. The funds will be used to reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors and obviously intoxicated patrons, the illegal solicitations of alcohol and other criminal activities such as the sale and possession of illegal drugs.

The GAP Program has distributed over $30 million to local law enforcement to combat alcohol-related crime. ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.