Stearns County Parks: Alcohol Laws And Recent Enforcement Actions

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office would like to remind visitors to its many county parks that alcohol is prohibited, and judging from a recent bust, not everyone was aware of the laws banning alcohol.

A Truck Bed Filled With Beer & Booze

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office posted on social media Tuesday a great reminder to visitors to Stearns County-run parks that alcohol isn't allowed. A recent 'bust' seemed to show that not everyone was aware of, or cared for, those laws.

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A Holiday Weekend Buzz-Kill

The post from the Stearns County Sheriff's Office was accompanied by a note stating that over the holiday weekend, alcohol was confiscated at several county parks. It was the sheer amount of alcohol that had me raising my eyebrows, though.

Image Credit: Stearns County Sheriff's Office

It's a full tailgate of beer, seltzers, hard alcohol, and malt beverages!

Park Ordinance On The Books

The park ordinance, which you can read in full here, states that no one is allowed to have alcohol in a Stearns County park without a proper license. (Like a concert or fundraiser, getting a license to sell alcohol)

Alcohol: Sale of alcohol is prohibited without appropriate license from the County Auditor/Treasurer Office. Alcohol is prohibited in Quarry Park and on the Warner Lake Park beach.

The ordinance also deals with a side effect of alcohol consumption, for some people, and that is nudity. In addition to alcohol being prohibited, unless licensed in the park, nudity isn't allowed either.

Violators May Have To Cough Up Some Cash, Or Spend Time In County Lock-Up

The official ordinance on the books from Stearns County states that those violating the law could face up to a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail, in addition to the misdemeanor.

"punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both."

So the next time you are heading out to a county park, leave the libations at home, as there ARE laws when you are drinking claws. (Don't do it in a county park)