By SDCN Staff

San Marcos, CA–San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, along with agents from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and two minor decoys conducted Shoulder Tap Operations at various locations in San Marcos.

During the operation, the minor decoys visited retailers at five locations and attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages under the direct supervision of officers. One location sold alcohol to a minor decoy.

The clerk who sold to the minor faces a minimum fine of $250, or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, Alcoholic Beverage Control will take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license.

The operation was conducted in front of two local retail liquor stores where a minor, under the direct supervision of an officer, asked adults to purchase their alcohol. The minor indicated in some way they were underage and could not purchase the alcohol. Fourteen adults were contacted and one adult purchased alcohol for the minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Alcoholic Beverage Control conducts these compliance checks statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunk driving fatalities than the general adult population.

In July, the Sheriff’s Department received an Alcohol Policing Partnership grant in the amount of $75,000 to be used in the communities patrolled by Sheriff’s deputies to reduce alcohol-related crimes and educate Alcoholic Beverage Control licensed businesses. The goal of the partnership program is to collaborate with local law enforcement agencies to help make communities safer. 

Anyone with information on licensed liquor establishments providing alcohol to minors can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477, or by calling the Sheriff’s Department’s non-emergency line at (858) 565-5200.