Full Notification

Oakland, CA –The Oakland Police Department has received a grant of $90,000 from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for a year-long program aimed at preventing the unlawful sale of alcoholic beverages, including illegal sales to minors, through special enforcement and public awareness efforts.

The grant will aid in the City’s ongoing effort to prevent minors from purchasing and obtaining alcoholic beverages. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nationwide at least 5,000 people under the age of 21 die each year from alcohol-related car crashes, homicides, suicides, car accidents, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as drowning, falls, and burns. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that in 2011, over 188,000 minors (aged 12 to 20) visited emergency rooms for alcohol-related medical emergencies.

OPD has verified that alcohol sales to minors decrease when targeted intervention initiatives, financed through grant funds, can be applied.

Activities that the grant will fund include:

• Minor decoy operations
• Anti-loitering operations focusing on liquor stores and bars
• Enforcement operations to identify minors who possess false identifications and/or alcohol
• Inspections at liquor stores and bars
• Merchant training
• Community meetings to increase involvement with local community groups

Funding for this program is provided by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Grant Assistance Program (GAP).

Nixle Tip Watch allows ANONYMOUS tipsters to send OPD a tip three ways:
1. Text TIP OAKLANDPD to 888777 from your cell phone followed by your tip
2. Call our toll-free tip hotline at 855-TIPS-247 (855-847-7247)
3. Submit a tip by web form - see the option at the bottom of OPD's Nixle messages or visit http://nixle.us/tip/oakland-police-department-ca/ to complete and send.

Anonymous Tipping allows residents to proactively connect with the Oakland Police Department by submitting anonymous tips via web form and text message. Additionally, with the issuance of a tipping passcode to tipsters, we can initiate a two-way, anonymous communication to help gather more information.

For more information, please contact the Media Relations Office at 510-238-7230 or [email protected].
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