COLUMBUS, Ohio (ADAMS) – With college towns across the Buckeye State filling up again with students visiting local businesses, including restaurants, carry-outs, and bars officials are asking establishments to serve safely. For liquor permit premises in college towns and throughout the state, the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) and the Division of Liquor Control are reminding establishments to serve responsibly.
“We want all establishments to be safe places for patrons to have fun,” said OIU Enforcement Commander Erik Lockhart. “Safety happens when establishment staff understands and follows Ohio’s liquor laws.”
One way permit staff can run a safe establishment is by taking the free Alcohol Server Knowledge (ASK) online training offered by OIU. The online ASK program was officially rolled out to the public in late 2021. During the first six months of 2022, there were 1,043 individuals who took the new online ASK class.
OIU has been offering ASK classes in person for several years. During in-person classes, agents interact with servers and explain Ohio’s liquor laws. Participants who take the online class must watch the videos and go through each topic before they can complete the course. The topics have scenarios and questions relating to the segments and a comprehensive exam at the end. Once the participant has successfully completed the course, they are presented with a certificate.
Both the online and in-person classes include topics such as, but not limited to, alcohol sales, false identification, identifying human trafficking, tobacco sales, food stamp fraud, trace-back investigations, labeling and refilling. Also, during the first six months of 2022, OIU has conducted 31 in person classes with 241 attendees.
The online ASK program has given OIU the opportunity to educate more people involved in the sale and the handling of alcohol on the rules and regulations.
“Every liquor permit holder who interacts with consumers on a daily basis should strongly consider taking advantage of the ASK program,” said DOLC Superintendent Jim Canepa. “With college returning in full swing this month, it is of the utmost importance for permit holders and their staff to not overserve consumers and prevent underage sales.”
The ASK program is available in person and online, and both courses are free for all participants. The online class can be found here.
