SAN DIEGO–The Sheriff‘s Department is partnering with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through a county wide grant to help combat underage drinking and other crimes that may occur at ABC-licensed establishments.
In July 2015, the Sheriff’s Department received an ABC grant of $100,000. The money will be spent in communities patrolled by deputies to help fight 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. The cooperative efforts of the Sheriff’s Department and ABC are aimed at building positive working relationships between all stakeholders and increasing safety in San Diego county.
Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Agents from Alcohol Beverage Control and six minor decoys conducted a “Minor Decoy” and “Shoulder Tap” Operation at various locations in the communities of Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, Lemon Grove, Imperial Beach, and Bonita.
The “Minor Decoy” operation involved minors who tested “off-sale” and “on-sale” establishments. The minor decoys tested retailers at 17 locations, attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages inside their establishments. An employee at three buisnesses sold alcohol to the decoys.
Sheriff’s Deputies and ABC Agents also conducted a “Shoulder Tap” operation in front of local retail liquor stores where teenagers asked adults to purchase them alcohol. Adults who purchased alcohol for the teens were arrested for furnishing alcohol to minors (a misdemeanor offense). 35 adults were contacted and two were arrested for selling alcohol to a minor.
ABC-related operations such as Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap help reduce alcohol abuse and youth access to alcohol. Operations like these will continue through June 2016.
