Iowa City police offer tavern workers course on underage patrons

With fall semester just a few weeks away, bar employees in one big college town are invited for some education on serving underage patrons. Iowa City Police say there’s a constant problem with underage drinkers so they co-sponsor a free course called Training in Intervention Prevention. In the two years it’s been offered, nobody who’s taken the TIPS class has been cited for serving a minor, and police say it signals the instruction is working to help prevent sales to intoxicated people and underage customers. In 2003 nearly 650 bartenders and servers took the course, and local advocates say many already may be aware of its information. But they also say enforcement hasn’t been as strict as some times in the past, and low turnout for the training could signal barkeepers may be less concerned about getting busted for serving alcohol to patrons who are too young or could be a problem drinker.