9 Charged Following 'Cops in Shops' Detail in Brick

A program where police work undercover as liquor store employees to combat underage alcohol purchases led to the arrest of nine people over the past two weekends, Brick police said.

The undercover detail, known as the "Cops in Shops" program, is funded through grants and involves officers posing as store employees or positioned outside of liquor stores that participate.

Over the past two weekends, officers worked at the Mantoloking Road Buy Rite store and Wine World on Route 88.

Sgt. David Bedrosian said officials decided to hold the program in March because officers often see an uptick in drunken driving incidents, including traffic fatalities, this time of year.

"The exact cause of the increase is unclear, but may be due in part to spring break and other March festivities," Bedrosian said. "Unfortunately, it results in people making poor decisions."

Arrested at Buy Rite Liquors were: Courtney Jackson, 21, of Brickon a charge of purchasing alcohol for a person under the legal age; Evan O’Hara, 19, of Brick, on a charge of attempting to have a person of legal age purchase alcohol for him; Alexander Volek, 20, of Brick, on a charge of attempting to have a person of legal age purchase alcohol for him; Timothy Carney, 19, of Brick, on a charge of attempting to have a person of legal age purchase alcohol for him; Brian Mackey, 22, of Brick, on a charge of purchasing alcohol for a person under legal age; William Eisley, 19, of Brick, on a charge of attempting to have a person of legal age purchase alcohol for him.

Arrested at Wine World were: William Kavanagh, 18, of Point Pleasant on a charge of attempting to purchase alcohol while being under the legal age to do so; and Zachary Smith, 18, of Brick, on a charge of attempting to purchase alcohol while being under the legal age to do so.

Also arrested was Andrew Norris, 19, of Manchester, on charges of shoplifting, obstruction, possession of alcoholic beverages by a person under the legal age, and entering a premises licensed for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for the purpose of attempting to purchase alcohol while being under the legal age to do so.

With the exception of Norris, all of the suspects were processed on scene and released on a short form of complaint pending court action, Bedrosian said.

Norris was arrested and transported to Brick Township Police headquarters where he was processed and released on a criminal complaint summons pending court action.

Bedrosian said the department will continue its crackdown on underage drinking and continue the use of supplemental DWI patrols in the coming months.