DATE / TIME: Wednesday, April 10th, 2019/ 5:00PM-9:00PM
LOCATION: Several tobacco licensed locations throughout Pomona.
CRIME: 308 (a)(1)(A)(i)PC, Furnish Tobacco To Minor
VICTIM: City of Pomona
UNIT: Pomona PD Officers funded by Proposition 56.
NARRATIVE:
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, members of the Pomona Police Department participated in a Tobacco Minor Decoy & Shoulder Tap Operation conducted throughout the City of Pomona. A concerned effort is being made to reduce the availability of tobacco to minors, and Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Operations are a known method to reduce the availability of tobacco to minors.
Two minors, ages 18 and 14, participated in this operation and were under direct supervision of officers. Both minors were sent to various tobacco licensed locations throughout the city. The minor decoys waited outside the businesses and mentioned to patrons they were under the age of 21 and asked if they could purchase tobacco products for them. A total of (8) adults were contacted and (4) agreed to purchase tobacco for the minor decoys. After the 4 individuals furnished the tobacco to the decoys they were detained. Once they were positively identified they were issued citations for furnishing tobacco to a minor. All violators were released pending their court dates.
In addition, (1) decoy was sent into the ARCO Gas Station located at 2087 S. Reservoir St. The on duty clerk failed to ask for the decoys age or identification, and sold tobacco to him. The clerk was contacted and issued a citation.
This project is part of the California DOJ Tobacco Grant Project, funded by the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tax Act (Proposition 56). The Pomona Police Department would like to remind everyone the legal age to buy/ possess tobacco in California is 21 and over.
Written by:
Sergeant Jon Edson
Pomona Police Department
