The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) conducted an Underage Decoy Shoulder Tap operation recently. The operation utilized a decoy, under the age of 21 and supervised by an enforcement team, to assist in the operation. Underage Decoy Shoulder Tap operations are focused on adults who knowingly furnish alcoholic beverages to minors. The goal is to reduce substance abuse and enhance community welfare by limiting underage access to alcoholic beverages.
The enforcement team visited three Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) licensed retail establishments in the city of Santa Monica. The decoy remained outside of the establishments and solicited 16 adult patrons to act as proxies to purchase an alcoholic beverage on their behalf. During the operation, one misdemeanor citation for furnishing a minor with alcohol was issued.
This operation is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Submitted by Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez
