VIDALIA, La. — Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control officers wrote 37 citations Friday night during a more than five-hour crackdown on underage drinking in Concordia Parish.

&uot;That’s a little higher than average,&uot;&160;said ATC Chief Butch Chennault, a Ferriday native. &uot;You never know. Some nights we could get nothing … and then there are nights like this.&uot;

They were looking for underage drinkers or those over 21 who were buying alcohol for their younger passengers.

&uot;That’s our number one priority at the ATC — curbing underage drinking,&uot; Chennault said.

In all, 21 ATC officers wrote 20 citations for possession of alcohol by someone under 21, five for purchasing alcohol for someone under 21 and two for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Officers also issued one administrative citation against Terrell’s Drive Thru in Ferriday on seven counts of selling alcohol to people under 21, Chennault said.

A clerk at Terrell’s was also issued three misdemeanor summons for selling alcohol to underage patrons, but Chennault did not know the clerk’s name as of Saturday afternoon.

ATC officers were not working against the liquor stores during Friday’s stakeout, but with them, said Chennault.

McDonough’s Package Store, Hammers Drive Thru and 84 Kwik Thru in Vidalia cooperated with the ATC, he added.

The crackdown was done with the help of a federal &uot;Cops and Shops&uot;&160;grant that helps pay overtime for officers during such stakeouts.

Vidalia Police Chief Billy Hammers could not be reached for comment Saturday.