* Northern California Police Officers Conducted Shoulder Tap Sting Operation

Published by Junior Staff Writer on March 14, 2010

Several Bay Area law enforcement agencies participated in a “shoulder tap” decoy operation to catch adults who agreed to buy alcohol for minors Saturday, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Police from San Jose, Oakland, the University of California at Berkeley, the city of Berkeley and Vacaville were among the 100 Northern California officers who conducted the operation. Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of an officer would stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy him or her alcohol. The minor would indicate that he or she was too young to purchase the alcohol, and police arrested and cited adults who agreed to buy it. The operation led to about 90 arrests and eight bookings, according to California Alcoholic Beverage Control. About 80 people were cited for furnishing or selling alcohol to minors and 18 were arrested for other violations such as narcotics possession, public intoxication, open
containers and parole violations. The minimum penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. The operation was funded by California Alcoholic Beverage Control.