Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 1,091 licensed liquor establishments from Thursday, December 31, 2020 through Sunday, January 3, 2021 to ensure businesses are abiding by COVID-19 mitigation requirements, including the suspension of in-person service from December 12, 2020 until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021, as outlined in the limited-time mitigation order.
Liquor Control Enforcement Officers issued 46 notices of violation and 37 warnings for failing to follow COVID-19 requirements. A notice of violation precedes the issuance of an administrative citation, which is civil in nature, and is intended to provide licensed liquor establishments notification of the nature of violation(s) discovered. The investigation remains open during this period, pending review by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE). Because the investigation is ongoing, names of establishments issued a notice of violation will not be released at this time. Each BLCE district office posts a monthly public information release that includes details on citations issued by that office.
Compliance checks are unannounced and can occur anywhere in the commonwealth, although the focus is on areas experiencing higher coronavirus transmission rates.
Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement | December 31, 2020 – January 3, 2021
| ENFORCEMENT OFFICE | TOTAL LICENSEE CHECKS | WARNINGS RELATED TO COVID-19 MITIGATION EFFORTS | NOTICES OF VIOLATION RELATED TO COVID-19 MITIGATION EFFORTS |
| 1-Philadelphia | 77 | 2 | 0 |
| 2-Wilkes-Barre | 262 | 0 | 7 |
| 3-Harrisburg | 104 | 0 | 6 |
| 4-Pittsburgh | 74 | 9 | 5 |
| 5-Altoona | 146 | 4 | 2 |
| 6-Williamsport | 33 | 2 | 3 |
| 7-Punxsutawney | 177 | 3 | 11 |
| 8-Erie | 17 | 3 | 3 |
| 9-Allentown | 201 | 14 | 9 |
| TOTALS | 1,091 | 37 | 46 |
Violators may face administrative citation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. Continued violations put an establishment's liquor license at risk, either through the citation process or upon application for renewal. More information is available on the enforcement page of the state police COVID-19 portal.
Complaints regarding licensees not complying with COVID-19 mitigation mandates may be directed to the BLCE at 1-800-932-0602 or reported through the BLCE's online complaint form.
MEDIA CONTACT: Corporal Brent Miller or Ryan Tarkowski, 717-783-5556
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