City officials yesterday offered a stern warning to liquor license holders to have inspections up to date and to prepare for a series of tests police will conduct to make sure servers don't break law.
At 1 p.m. in a packed auditorium inside the government building, liquor license holders from across the city gathered to listen to members of the License Commission, Police Department, Fire Department and other city officials.
License Commissioner Wayne Brasco Sr. told those gathered they had to comply with an annual fire and building code inspection by the end of the year or they will lose their liquor licenses.
"After The Station (concert club in West Warwick R.I.) fire (of 2003), Massachusetts adopted a very, very strict fire code," Brasco said. "You must have a fire and building inspection by Dec. 31 or your license will be revoked on Jan. 1."
Brasco said that last year 40 license holders did not comply with the inspection.
"It was so strict when (the annual inspection) first came out, they thought it was a one-time thing," Brasco said. "I cannot emphasize enough that you have to have your inspections done...we swung from chandeliers last year trying to get this done."
Waltham Police Lt. Steve Champeon told licensees he is currently working with Waltham's Responsible Retailing Forum (RRF), a collaboration between liquor licensees, Brandeis University, Bentley College and governing agencies.
Through that forum, police will be sending out trained actors posing as drunks to find out how businesses are following the rules.
"As the city's liquor enforcement officer, I'm here to work with you," he said. "The Waltham Police Department will be conducting liquor compliance checks some time this month."
According to Champeon, Waltham Police in conjunction with the RRF will be sending mystery shoppers in to bars, restaurants and package stores that will be "in an obvious inebriated state."
At the meeting, actor Sonya Joyner offered a demonstration as to how other actors might appear when they show up for secret liquor compliance checks.
Joyner stumbled across the stage and remained unsteady on her feet. She often slurred her words and pretended to order alcoholic beverages from bars and package stores in her act.
"In the next few weeks an apparent intoxicated customer will be visiting your establishment," Champeon said. "The first round of testing will serve as an educational example."
A failure of the test would result in the liquor licensee going before the License Commission. However, no charge would be brought against the owner of the license.
At the meeting, some licensees argued the problem with the actors is some bar tenders did not believe the actors were drunk in previous instances and thought they had a medical condition or special needs.
The visits occur unexpectedly about four times a year, according to the RRF, which is grant funded.
"We learn by doing," Champeon said, adding that the actors will give verbal cues this month indicating they are intoxicated.
According to Champeon, in April of this year there were three drunk driving arrests, all three of which stated they had been served at Waltham establishments.
Champeon also said that not one establishment in the city has called him with regards to the confiscation of fake identification cards used to buy alcoholic beverages.
"I'm trying to gauge the number of fake IDs in the city of Waltham," Champeon said. "If you're holding on to something that you think is fake, hold on to it. If the person is legitimate they will wait for it."
Some licensees praised Champeon's methodology of sending in trained actors to test restaurants, bars and package stores.
"We're all very vulnerable. It's a unique situation," said Bob Perry, owner of The Elephant Walk restaurant at 663 Main St. "I don't want to be put under any more strain and greater risk, but at the same time, I think that it's sharpened our skills."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com.
