HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 - Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) TrainingCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 13
July 27, 2010
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Police Department
Jay R. Johnson, Chief of Police; 644 3701; jjohnson @nbpd.org
Craig Fox, Captain; 644 3750; cfox @nbpd.org
SUBJECT: RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE (RBS) TRAINING
ISSUE:
At the request of the City Manager, this report explains the origins of the City of Newport
Beach's Responsible Beverage Service requirements and training program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and File.
DISCUSSION:
During the Public Comments portion of the regular City Council meeting on
July 6, 2010, a male citizen, who did not provide his name, posed a question regarding
the City's efforts to mandate "RBS" (Responsible Beverage Service) training for
licensed, alcoholic beverage service establishments. He also indicated he would be
attending the next City Council meeting to discuss this topic further. The City Manager
requested that the Police Department provide City Council with information regarding
the City's RBS training efforts.
The City of Newport Beach has 314 businesses licensed by the California Department
of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to sell alcoholic beverages. Of those, 243 are
designated as "on- sale" locations, with the remaining 71 operating as "off- sale"
locations. "On- sale" denotes a business that serves alcoholic beverages on their
premises, such as restaurants and bars, while "off- sale" indicates that alcoholic
beverages purchased from the business will be consumed off site, such as markets and
liquor stores.
New Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) issued to ABC licensed establishments in the City
include a condition that all personnel involved in the sales of alcoholic beverages must
attend some form of State - certified RBS training. Some older businesses may not have
this training as a requirement of their CUP, as they were in business before this
Responsible Beverage Service Training
July 27, 2010
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mandate was in place. When the Police Department schedules an RBS training
session, all 314 licensed establishments are sent a letter indicating the date and time of
the training. The letter also encourages the businesses to send any new employees
who are in need of training, and /or those whose certification has lapsed.
There are a number of options for these businesses to receive RBS training; however,
some course providers charge a fee for each person attending the course. Both the
Police Department and the ABC offer this State - certified training at no cost, and the
course contents are very similar. The training for "off- sale" locations focuses primarily
on how to identify underage people and false identifications, while the training for
"on- sale" locations is much more extensive. The "on- sale" training not only covers how
to identify underage people and false identifications, but also how to spot the objective
symptoms of alcohol intoxication and the liability involved in the over serving of alcohol.
The ABC offers LEAD (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs) training at their
offices in Santa Ana. ABC provides this training four times per year, and the LEAD
certification is valid for one year.
The Police Department offers TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) training for
both "on-sale" and "off - sale" businesses, and the training is presented in partnership
with a division of the Orange County Health Care Agency. This training is offered twice
per year of the Police Department; however, on occasion it has been held at new
businesses opening in the City who need their personnel trained quickly. Since July
2008, the Police. Department has facilitated eight RBS training sessions, with
a total of 154 people attending. It should be noted that TIPS certification is valid for
three years.
In 2008, the Police Department received an ABC grant from the State, which enabled
the Department to create an ABC Liaison Investigator position within the Detective
Division. Prior to the receipt of this grant, the responsibility to oversee the ABC licensed
locations in the City was handled by the Police Department's Vice & Intelligence Unit.
The ABC Liaison Investigator has enhanced the Police Department's ability to interact
with ABC licensed establishments, while providing increased ABC related education,
training, and enforcement. The ABC Liaison Investigator also serves as the Police
Department's liaison with the Newport Beach Restaurant and Tavern Associations.
At the City Council meeting on June 22, 2010, additional ABC grant funding was
approved to be received in the amount of $26,318. These new funds will be used to
increase the Department's ABC enforcement across the City.
Prepared by;
Craig Fox, Captain
Detective Division Commander
Woved
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CHIEF OF POLICE