HomeMy WebLinkAboutWalmart Tobacco Violation POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
14168 OAK PARK BLVD. NORTH • P.O. BOX 2007 LINDYSWANSON
_ y OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA 55082 CHIEF OF POLICE
TELEPHONE: (651) 439 -4723
FAX: (651) 439 -3639
EMERGENCY: 911
March 5, 2001
Ms. Sandra Schleicher
Wal *Mart-Store Manager
5815 Norell Ave. N.
Oak Park Heights, MN
55082
Dear Ms. Schleicher;
I believe you are aware that the Oak Park Heights Police Dept. visited your place of
business on Tuesday, 02/20/01, while conducting compliance checks for illegal sales of
tobacco products to persons not of age. I believe that you are also aware that one of your
employees failed the compliance check by selling a pack of cigarettes to the 16 year old
volunteer that was assisting our police dept.
The Oak Park Heights City Council recently adopted a city resolution which pertains to
recomended sanctions to be imposed to those businesses that fail our compliance checks.
Per the resolution, and the fact that your store has not failed a compliance check in 24
consecutive months, the recomended sanction to be imposed is a $500.00 civil penalty.
You can choose to send the $500.00 penalty to the City of Oak Park Heights, Finance
Dept. or, if you so choose, you can contact city administration at 439 -4439 and request a
hearing before the Oak Park Heights City Council.
I previously mentioned that your store had not failed a compliance check in 24 months.
Per our records, your store had failed three consecutive checks, then did pass the last
check done in early 2000, then failed this one. As you know, by the copies of sanction
recomendations that 1 had delivered to your store prior to this last compliance check, the
penalty for failure gets more severe if you should fail another check within the next 24
month period. We are going to be more aggresive in conducting these checks thanks to
some grant monies received and I suggest that you consider an attempt to educate or train
your cashiers in this subject.
I can honestly say that I was sorry to see that your store had failed this compliance check,
forcing me to recomend the imposition of a civil penalty. Wal *Mart has been such a fine
part of our city I feel uncomfortable having to do so, but I am sure you are aware that ail
businesses must be treated alike and I have no other option.
If you have any questions in this matter or if I can be of service to you in any manner,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Most Sincerely,
Lindy Swanson
Chief of Police