According to the BPD Office of Media Relations, a misdemeanor conviction can bring up to two-and-a-half years in prison, but most of those arrested will probably just have their driver's licenses suspended.
Roni F. Yasmine, the owner of Choice Mart, said he sees "Operation Cops in Shops" as a shift in the enforcement of the drinking age. While in the past, police have generally penalized vendors for selling alcohol to minors, he said they are now holding the minors more accountable for attempting to purchase.
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"[The program] really takes the burden off our backs," Yasmine said.