Bismarck Police made only 11 arrests for a total of 13 charges while watching liquor stores and checking out reports of parties Saturday night.

"Usually we're up in the 30s as far as charges," said Lt. Dan Donlin, of the Bismarck Police Department.

The police department conducts special enforcement efforts several times a year to curb underage drinking.

Donlin said eight adults and three juveniles were arrested Saturday night and Sunday morning by officers working overtime on the operation.

Only one adult was arrested for delivery of alcohol to a minor, Donlin said.

In that case, officers spotted a 40-year-old Bismarck man come out of a bar with a 12-pack of beer and get in a car with two 20-year-old males in it, Donlin said.

The officer followed the vehicle to the 100 block of East Bismarck Expressway, when the man left the vehicle without taking the beer, Donlin said.

The man was cited for delivery of alcohol to a minor, and the minors, one from Bismarck and one from Fargo, were cited as minors in possession.

Three minors smoking outside a mall was the only other case during the operation that involved juveniles, he said.

Bismarck police also arrested one adult for DUI, one for open container in a motor vehicle, two for open bottle in public, one on a warrant and one for giving false information to an officer, Donlin said.

Officers watched liquor stores until around midnight, then were available to respond to reports of parties, Donlin said.

The party calls during the weekend all involved adults, he said.

While the poor weather during the weekend may have had something to do with the inactivity, Donlin said he hopes the low number of charges has more to do with less people buying alcohol for minors.

"It's people making good choices, Ihope," he said.

The Bismarck Police Department received $8,000 from a federal grant to the state to pay overtime for officers working the operation several times during the year, Donlin said.

He said the North Dakota Highway Patrol is responsible for distributing the money to various state agencies.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com)