By SDCN Editor
Escondido, CA–The Escondido Police Department and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) conducted a minor decoy operation in Escondido on Saturday, authorities said.
The enforcement operation is designed to prevent adults from furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors and to create awareness about the dangers of underage drinking throughout California and keep communities safe.
A minor decoy operation focuses on establishments that sell alcohol to persons under the age of 21. A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement attempts enters a liquor or convenience store and attempts to purchase alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot buy alcohol.
“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”
Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The operation was funded by ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership program and the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
