A dozen students from local high schools and colleges proved to local law enforcement Friday that it's easy for minors to buy alcohol in the area.

The 18- to 20-year-olds were participants in the area's first alcohol compliance check. They asked for beer at 100 restaurants, bars and liquor stores in Bismarck, Mandan and Burleigh County and were served at 67 stops. Morton County didn't participate.

"I was surprised. I felt that most of the alcohol for underage drinking was coming from adults who bought it for minors," Burleigh County Sheriff's Maj. Nick Sevart said. "It just surprises me that it's that available through the bars."

The compliance check was the first effort of the newly formed Capitol City Coalition for a Safe Community. The coalition plans to use a $5,200 state grant to fund compliance checks and teach employees in liquor stores and bars how to properly check customers' identification.

"We recognized there was a problem," said Perry Lauer, chairman of the coalition's alcohol and drug committee. "An opportunity to address the problem became available with the grant."

The young adults were dropped off at the front doors with a list of instructions. They were told to give up their driver's license if asked for it and truthfully answer all questions. The minors left the booze in the bars untouched and the beer from liquor stores was turned over to police and sheriff's departments for disposal.

"There was no deception involved," Mandan Police Officer Brian Johnson said.

The first compliance check was a "freebie" for the businesses, Lauer said. None of the bars, liquor stores or employees who sold liquor will face legal action in connection with Friday's efforts. But more compliance checks are planned, and next time authorities won't be as lenient.

"There's an accountability and responsibility that goes with having a liquor license," Bismarck Police Lt. Dan Donlin said.

Consequences for bars and liquor stores often depend on their history. If they have past violations, the city or county commissions could revoke or suspend liquor licenses. Employees could face misdemeanor charges of selling or serving alcohol to minors.

Although authorities handed out warnings, a local restaurant wasn't as lenient. Server Marla Wanner said she lost her job after the test. Red Lobster policy is to fire any employee who sells alcohol to minors. The local restaurant referred calls to its home office, where no one was available for comment.

The single mother of four questioned the tactics and timing of the compliance check. She said a female who appeared 25 to 30 years old came in alone during a slow time in the bar.

"This one time I made a human error and I lost my job," Wanner said. "I'm not in the business to sell to minors. I'm always consistent with carding, but this time I just didn't. We're not out there trying to get young people drunk. We're trying to do a job."

Wanner said it's "kind of sad" that the compliance checks were done so close to Christmas because now "my kids will suffer." She said she carded 50 to 100 people in an average weekend.

The Tribune contacted about a half dozen business that failed the compliance check in Bismarck and Mandan. Some managers and owners said the tactics were fair while others said they weren't. Several declined comment and others refused to give their names.

One restaurant manager said the bartender set a drink in front of the minor then asked for a driver's license. He said the female left without touching the beverage.

Another liquor store owner said the minor female who visited her establishment appeared 35 to 40 years old.

Shannon Gangl, manager of the Seven Seas Inn restaurant in Mandan, had a different story.

"We just failed miserably and we take responsibility," he said. "We'll do better."

Gangl said they plan to provide better training and will accept any help the police department has to offer.

A majority of the mangers and owners said they instruct employees to card anyone who appears under the age of 30 .

In Bismarck, 69 of the 72 businesses with liquor licenses were checked out and 41 of them sold liquor to minors.

"It was much higher than I suspected," Lauer said. "Most definitely we need to do this more often and have training for employees."

Seven of the eight bars in Burleigh County sold alcohol to minors and 20 of the 25 businesses that were tested in Mandan failed. Two minors were sent into the Sterling Bar - one was sold alcohol and one wasn't.

There are 32 Mandan liquor licenses. Law enforcement made an effort to contact all liquor establishments that failed.

"That's what's really concerning, the fact that it's widespread," Sevart said.