Tobacco-selling businesses will be checked for legal age compliance by DeKalb Police starting in November.

For the third year in a row, the DeKalb Police Department received a $4,180 grant from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission to be used for the tobacco checks on DeKalb businesses that sell tobacco. Three checks will be done throughout the year in three month blocks, starting between October and November, said DeKalb Police Lt. Carl Leoni.

During the checks, agents under 18 years old working for the DeKalb Police will go into the stores and ask to purchase cigarettes. The agent will show their ID showing they are younger than 18 years old if asked by the clerk, Leoni said. If the clerk sells the agent cigarettes, officers will issue them a fine for under $500.

DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said the goal of the program is voluntary compliance, and the goal is to run a check and not make any arrests.

“If they are checking IDs and being careful on who they are selling to, and we don’t end up making any arrests, that is a great thing,” Feithen said. “Unfortunately, people get lax and don’t check IDs, and sell them to minors.”

The $4,180 grant will go to man-hours and gas used in the checks, and stipend pay for the agents used in the checks, Leoni said. Tobacco-selling retailers will also receive a tobacco retailer kit, with signs to post reminding employees not to sell to minors and a review of state law, Leoni said.

DeKalb retailers have already been told about the checks, and to review the law and remind employees of the age limit, Leoni said.

Leoni said during the four years the tobacco checks have been done he has seen slight improvement, but some employees still don’t try as hard to follow age laws.

“There might be some slight improvement,” Leoni said. “One check may not get anyone, one might get three or four. Business owners are trying, but sometimes employees aren’t trying so hard.”

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