Overview: La Mesa operation
If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.
The La Mesa Police Department and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control arrested one person on Feb. 7 for reportedly buying alcoholic beverages for minors.
The operation was conducted in La Mesa.
Operation Shoulder Tap targets adults who purchase alcohol for underaged drinkers.
A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor.
The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.
“Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap help restrict underage access to alcohol by deterring adults from selling to them,” said ABC director Paul Tupy. “These programs have steadily decreased the accessibility of minors to obtain alcohol from licensed premises and the general public.”
La Mesa police chief Ray Sweeney added, “Keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors helps to keep our community safe and protects the health and well-being of young people in our region.”
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.
