The San Diego Sheriff’s Department is joining forces with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through a county wide grant to help fight underage drinking and other crimes that may occur at ABC-licensed establishments.
In July, the SDPD received an ABC grant of $100,000 to be spent in communities to help battle alcohol-related crimes and educate ABC-licensed businesses. The goal of the ABC Grant Assistance Program is to partner with local law enforcement agencies to help make communities safer.
San Diego deputies and agents from Alcohol Beverage Control along with five minor decoys organized a “Minor Decoy” and “Shoulder Tap” operation at various locations in the communities of Santee and Lakeside.
The “Minor Decoy” operation involved minors who tested “off-sale” and “on-sale” establishments. Minors tried to purchase alcohol at 11 different locations and successfully, all licensed business turned the minors away.
In the “Shoulder Tap” operation teenagers asked adults to buy them alcohol outside of local retail liquor stores. 31 adults were contacted and one was arrested for selling alcohol to a minor (a misdemeanor offense).
ABC-related operations such as “Minor Decoy” and “Shoulder Tap” help reduce alcohol abuse and youth access to alcohol. Operations like the ones above will continue through June 2017.
Anyone with information on licensed liquor establishments providing alcohol to minors can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (858)580-8477, or call the Sheriff's Department non-emergency line at (858)565-5200.
