Full Notification

The Menlo Park Police Department and Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted a minor decoy operation Friday, February 6, 2015 for the sale of alcohol to minors. During the compliance check operation a minor under the direct supervision of the Menlo Park Police Department/Alcoholic Beverage Control, attempted to purchase alcohol from both off-sale and on-sale licensees in the City of Menlo Park.

The Menlo Park Police Department was awarded a mini-grant from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. A requirement of the grant is to conduct compliance checks at ABC licensed locations. The Minor Decoy attempted to purchase alcohol at ten different locations during the operation. The Minor Decoy was furnished alcohol at three locations during the compliance checks.

During the Minor Decoy operation, the minor must be under the age of 20, must have the appearance of a minor, cannot wear clothes or jewelry that would make them look older, and must answer truthfully if asked their age.

Those individuals who sell/furnish alcohol to minors face a possible fine of $250 to $1,000, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, Alcoholic Beverage Control will take administrative action against the business’s liquor license. Those actions can include a fine, a suspension of the liquor license, or the permanent revocation of the license. The Minor Decoy was furnished alcohol from the following locations:

Iberia Restaurant
1026 Alma Street
Menlo Park, California

Café Del Sol
1010 Doyle Street
Menlo Park, California

Akasaka
925 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, California

These compliance checks are taking place in cities throughout the state in order to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. The goal of the mini-grant is to reduce alcohol-related crime through multiple enforcement operations and educational/prevention programs conducted by ABC Agents and local law enforcement officers.

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

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

For more information on this release, contact: Officer James Luevano at email address [email protected] or phone (650) 330-6300.