Westbrook police have added undercover sting operations to the department’s arsenal to fight underage drinking.

Last Friday, police sent a minor employed by an area police department into local stores that sell alcohol to see if clerks were checking for identification. Of the seven stores where the minor attempted to buy alcohol, all asked to see identification.

“The Westbrook Police Department is pleased that retailers in the city are training their staff to check the identification of anyone purchasing alcohol,” Westbrook Police Capt. Tom Roth said in a statement Monday.

Roth said the checks would continue, not only in Westbrook stores, but also in bars and lounges licensed for on-premises consumption of alcohol. The checks are part of the department’s efforts under a grant from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, which has yielded numerous arrests in the last year.

Since last summer, the department’s activities have resulted in a number of high school parties being broken up. One such party caused the suspension of at least 10 Westbrook High School athletes from activities.

In a separate interview Monday, Roth said using a minor to enforce identification checks is rare, although the department has used the tactic before.

Other activities by the police last Friday night – in near-blizzard conditions – included plainclothes and uniformed patrols, as well as store surveillance and even surveillance of private homes. Despite the snow, however, several arrests and summonses were made, including three minors charged with possession of alcohol and two minors charged with possession of tobacco. One adult was also summonsed for furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol.

“Parents who think they are keeping their kids’ friends safe and allowing them to drink alcohol in their residences must remember that it is a criminal act punishable by a fine ranging from $500 to $2,000,” said Roth. “This crime is elevated to felony status if the consumption of alcohol causes substantial bodily injury or death.”

Anyone with information about underage drinking is asked to contact the Westbrook Police Department Anonymous Hotline at 854-2531, ext. 7.