47 Pa. Stat. § 2-211

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92

Section 2-211 - Enforcement

(a) There is created within the Pennsylvania State Police a Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement which shall be responsible for enforcing this act and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Officers and investigators assigned to the bureau shall have the power and their duty shall be:

(1) To investigate whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe liquor, alcohol or malt or brewed beverages are being sold on premises not licensed under the provisions of this act. If the investigation produces evidence of the unlawful sale of liquor or malt or brewed beverages or any other violation of the provisions of this act, the officer involved in the investigation shall institute criminal proceedings against the person or persons believed to have been criminally liable, as otherwise provided by law or rule of court.

(2) To arrest on view, except in private homes, without warrant, any person actually engaged in the unlawful sale, importation, manufacture or transportation or having unlawful possession of liquor, alcohol or malt or brewed beverages contrary to the provisions of this act or any other law of this Commonwealth or any person whom the officer/investigator, while in the performance of his assigned duties under and pursuant to this act and any regulations promulgated under this act, observes to be in violation of any of the following provisions:

18 Pa.C.S. § 3302 (relating to causing or risking catastrophe).

18 Pa.C.S. § 3304 (relating to criminal mischief).

18 Pa.C.S. § 4101 (relating to forgery).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5503 (relating to disorderly conduct).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5505 (relating to public drunkenness).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5512 (relating to lotteries, etc.).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5513 (relating to gambling devices, gambling, etc.).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5514 (relating to pool selling and bookmaking).

18 Pa.C.S. § 6307 (relating to misrepresentation of age to secure liquor or malt or brewed beverages).

18 Pa.C.S. § 6308 (relating to purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages).

18 Pa.C.S. § 6309 (relating to representing that minor is of age).

18 Pa.C.S. § 6310.1 (relating to selling or furnishing liquor or malt or brewed beverages to minors).

18 Pa.C.S. § 6310.3 (relating to carrying a false identification card).

(3) Upon reasonable and probable cause, to search for and to seize, without warrant or process, except in private homes, any liquor, alcohol or malt or brewed beverages unlawfully possessed, manufactured, sold, imported or transported and any stills, equipment, materials, utensils, vehicles, boats, vessels, animals, aircraft, or any of them, which are or have been used in the unlawful manufacture, sale, importation or transportation of the same. Such liquor, alcohol, malt or brewed beverages, stills, equipment, materials, utensils, vehicles, boats, vessels, animals or aircraft so seized shall be disposed of as hereinafter provided.

(4) To investigate and issue citations for any violations of this act or any laws of this Commonwealth relating to liquor, alcohol or malt or brewed beverages, or any regulations of the board adopted pursuant to such laws or any violation of any laws of this Commonwealth or of the Federal Government, relating to the payment of taxes on liquor, alcohol or malt or brewed beverages by any licensee, his officers, servants, agents or employes.

(5) To arrest any person who engages in the following offenses when the said offenses are committed against the officer/investigator or any person accompanying and assisting the officer/investigator while the said officer/investigator is performing assigned duties under and pursuant to this act and any regulations promulgated under this act:

18 Pa.C.S. § 2701 (relating to simple assault).

18 Pa.C.S. § 2702 (relating to aggravated assault).

18 Pa.C.S. § 2705 (relating to recklessly endangering another person).

18 Pa.C.S. § 2706 (relating to terroristic threats).

18 Pa.C.S. § 2709 (relating to harassment and stalking).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5104 (relating to resisting arrest or other law enforcement).

18 Pa.C.S. § 5501 (relating to riot).

(6) To serve and execute warrants issued by the proper authorities for offenses referred to in this subsection and to serve subpoenas.

(7) To arrange for the administration of chemical tests of breath, blood or urine, including preliminary breath tests, to persons for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of blood or the presence of a controlled substance by qualified personnel of a State or local police department or qualified personnel of a clinical laboratory licensed and approved by the Department of Health.

(b) Any equipment or appurtenance actually used in the commission of the unlawful acts may be confiscated. The confiscation shall not, in any manner, divest or impair the rights or interest of any bona fide lienholder in the equipment or appurtenance.

(c) The Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner shall assign State Police Officers to such supervisory and other capacities in the enforcement bureau as he deems necessary. All other personnel of the enforcement bureau shall be civilians.

(d) The Office of Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania State Police shall represent the enforcement bureau in all enforcement proceedings brought before the Office of Administrative Law Judge or any other adjudicatory body.

(e) Nothing in this act shall be construed to change the status of civilian enforcement agents for the purposes of the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L. 563, No. 195), known as the "Public Employe Relations Act," or cause civilian enforcement agents to be considered policemen for the purposes of the act of June 24, 1968 (P.L. 237, No. 111), referred to as the Policemen and Firemen Collective Bargaining Act.

(f) In addition to the information provided to the General Assembly and the Legislative Data Processing Center under sections 613 and 614 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L. 177, No. 175), known as "The Administrative Code of 1929," respectively, the Pennsylvania State Police shall provide to the chairman and minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives any other information as requested. The Pennsylvania State Police shall also provide:

(1) a copy of the most recently completed audit of expenditures of the enforcement bureau; and

(2) a report detailing the demographic characteristics of the bureau's complement of civilian officers. Such report shall include information relating to workplace diversity as contained in section two of the Governor's Annual Workforce Report relating to equal employment.

(g) The following shall apply:

(1) An individual who is under twenty-one years of age may purchase, attempt to purchase, possess or transport liquor or malt or brewed beverages if all of the following apply:

(i) The individual is at least eighteen years of age.

(ii) The individual is an officer, employe or intern of the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement of the Pennsylvania State Police.

(iii) The individual has completed training specified by the bureau.

(iv) The individual is acting within the scope of prescribed duties.

(v) The individual is acting under the direct control or supervision of a bureau officer who is an adult.

(2) Individuals under twenty-one years of age may not consume liquor or malt or brewed beverages.

(3) The Pennsylvania State Police shall promulgate regulations prescribing the manner in which compliance checks are to be performed. compliance checks under this subsection shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the regulations. regulations shall require, at a minimum, all of the following:

(i) Prior to participation in the compliance check, the officer, employe or intern shall undergo training approved by the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

(ii) A person licensed to sell liquor or malt or brewed beverages that is found to be in compliance with 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308 (relating to purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages) or 6310 (relating to inducement of minors to buy liquor or malt or brewed beverages) during a compliance check shall be notified in writing of the compliance check and the determination of compliance.

(iii) A person licensed to sell liquor or malt or brewed beverages that is found to be noncompliant with 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308 or 6310 during a compliance check shall be immediately verbally advi sed by the supervising bureau officer and shall be notified in writing of the failure to comply within ten working days of the date of the compliance check.

(4) The provisions of this subsection shall expire december 31, 2022.

47 P.S. § 2-211

Amended by P.L. TBD 2017 No. 75, § 1, eff. 12/22/2017.

1951, April 12, P.L. 90, No. 21, § 211, added 1987, June 29, P.L. 32, No. 14, § 14, effective 7/1/1987. Amended 1994, Oct. 5, P.L. 537, No. 80, § 1, effective in 60 days; 2003, July 17, P.L. 63, No. 15, § 2, effective 9/15/2003.