The Marshalltown Police Department works with local businesses each year to make sure they are not selling Alcohol and Tobacco to minors. The State of Iowa partners with the Police Department to help make it happen.

That is Police Captain and future Police Chief Chris Jones. He says after businesses go through the training, there will be compliance checks. Law Enforcement will recruit people under 21 for these checks.

Last year the overall success rate with the compliance checks was 91% across the state of Iowa. Captain Jones would love to see that at 100%, but says this is an increase over the last 10 years.

Criminal penalties for selling Tobacco to a minor include a $135 fine for the first offense, a $325 fine for a second offense, and a $645 fine for a third, and subsequent offenses.

Zach Tomesch, News Director KFJB