Full Notification

The Menlo Park Police Department and Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted a Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap operation Friday, July 17th, 2015 for the sale of alcohol to minors. Thirty seven adults were contacted by the minor decoys during the Shoulder Tap Operation. Two adults were cited for furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor decoy. In addition to the Shoulder Tap Operation, a minor decoy compliance check was conducted at four Alcoholic Beverage Control licensed locations in Menlo Park. The four locations were successful in preventing the sale of alcohol to a minor.

A Minor Decoy Shoulder/Tap Operation targets adults who purchase alcohol for people less than 21 years of age. Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.

If the adults purchases alcohol for the minor decoy, peace officers then arrest and cite them for the furnishing of alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a fine and can include community service.

The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics show that minors generally have a higher rate of drunk driving crashes than adults. Studies also show the combination of alcohol and youth tends to increase criminal conduct.

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 Minor Decoy/ Shoulder Tap operations at ABC licensed locations. Under the Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap 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.

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