IMPORTANT NEWS...
Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Participates in National Night Out
August 4, 2008
TALLAHASSEE— The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) is partnering with local law enforcement agencies and hitting the streets this Tuesday, Aug. 5, for National Night Out 2008. National Night Out is a unique, crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. The goal of the year-long community-building campaign is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and citizens in an effort to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime programs, and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
“One of our primary objectives is to provide education about the dangers of alcohol-related crimes through community awareness,” said Secretary Chuck Drago. “National Night Out is an outstanding example of how successful we can be when communities and law enforcement work and stand together to promote crime awareness and prevention.”
ABT officers throughout the state will be working in conjunction with local law enforcement and organizations by participating in various events and get-togethers to promote a united front against crime. ABT will be partnering with the following agencies:
- · Miami-Dade Police Department
- · Tallahassee Police Department
- · Gainesville Police Department
- · Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
- · Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
- · Daytona Beach Police Department
National Night Out began in 1984 as “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” and participants traditionally turned their lights on or held front porch vigils. Now, the list of activities has expanded considerably to include block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police, festivals, neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies and meetings. Last year’s National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 10,000 communities in all 50 states. In all, more than 35 million people participated.
One of ABT’s core missions is to keep alcohol out of the hands of underage people through an extensive three-tier approach including education, prevention and enforcement. In keeping with this mission, the Department is devoting more resources to the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, especially among the underage. The Division recently launched a Web page dedicated to prevention efforts that can be found on the Department’s Web site listed below.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
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