Port Hueneme – Incident Press Release
On Saturday, March 9, 2019, members of the Port Hueneme Police Department and officers from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) conducted a joint “Shoulder Tap” operation throughout the City of Port Hueneme. The objective was to have decoys (minors) contact people over 21 years of age outside businesses that sell alcoholic beverages and ask them to purchase and furnish alcohol to them. The decoys made thirty-two (32) contacts at six different alcohol selling establishments. Out of the 32 contacts, three people purchased alcohol for the decoys, but failed to complete the violation by not furnishing the alcohol to them.
On one occasion, a suspect attempted to run off with the alcohol after completing the purchase. On another occasion, the suspect wanted the minor to enter his vehicle in order to furnish the alcohol and make the transaction complete.
Throughout the operation, the Port Hueneme Police Department Communication Center received calls from citizens and businesses reporting that minors were soliciting people to purchase alcohol for them. On several occasions, residents lectured the minors about purchasing alcohol or warned the liquor store clerk of such efforts. Chief Salinas said, “It means the adults are doing the right thing notifying the store that illegal activity is going on out there. It’s what we want and expect from our alcohol licensees. It was incredible to see the number of residents calling the Police to report the minors attempting to purchase alcohol.”
Minor decoy operations have proven to reduce the number of minors attempting to purchase alcohol in this manner. Before the program began in 1994, the violation rate among adults asked to buy alcohol for minors was 50%. But since using this minor decoy program regularly, the violation rate dropped to about 10%.
According to ABC, a recent survey conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department indicated that as much as 46 percent of all minors who attempt to acquire alcohol use this method.
The Decoy Shoulder Tap Program is an enforcement program that ABC and local law enforcement agencies use to detect and deter shoulder tap activity. Shoulder tap operations are a law enforcement strategy designed to hold adult providers of alcohol to youth accountable for their illegal behavior. Shoulder tap operations focus on the adult who is providing alcohol to an underage youth. During the program, a minor decoy, under the direct supervision of law enforcement officers, solicits adults outside ABC licensed stores to buy the minor decoy alcohol. Any person seen furnishing alcohol to the minor decoy is arrested (either cited or booked) for furnishing alcohol to a minor (a violation of Section 25658(a) Business and Professions Code).
The goal of the program is to: (1) Reduce underage consumption of, and access to, alcohol by deterring adults from furnishing to them outside of licensed premises; (2) Expand the involvement of local law enforcement in enforcing underage drinking laws; and (3) Raise public awareness about the problem.
Chief Salinas also stated, “It’s not entrapment because the minor decoys are instructed to be truthful about their age and they look like minors. The persons who are solicited know what they are doing is illegal if they choose to buy them and then furnish them with alcohol.”
Over 70 law enforcement agencies from across California participated in “Operation Shoulder Tap” this past weekend. According to ABC, law enforcement arrested or cited a total of 335 individuals across the state for furnishing alcohol to a minor.
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