Full Notification

On August 1, 2013 members of the Newark Police Department partnered up with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and conducted a “Decoy Shoulder Tap” operation in Newark.

The Decoy Shoulder Tap Program is an enforcement operation that uses minor decoys to identify people who furnish alcoholic beverages to minors outside ABC licensed establishments.

It is a misdemeanor to furnish alcoholic beverages to minors and any persons observed furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors are subject to arrest pursuant to Section 25658(a) of the Business & Profession Code.

During the five hour operation, six adults were arrested. Five were charged with furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor. Of those five, one was also arrested for possession of marijuana and one was arrested for possession of methamphetamine for sales. One additional subject was contacted during the operation and was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, violation of a criminal protective order and multiple no-cite/no-bail warrants.

Additional operations are planned throughout the year. The Newark Police Department encourages all adults to not buy any alcoholic beverages for any minors when asked as it could be a planned operation. Those found guilty of furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors faces both a fine and possible jail time.

Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980’s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities as low as 10 percent or even below.

In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that use of underage decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through the department’s Grant Assistance Program.