DATE / TIME: Thursday, August 15th, 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 Thursday, August 15th, 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 Shoulder Tap Operations are a known method to reduce the availability of tobacco to minors.
Two decoys, 18 & 15 years old, under the direct supervision of officers, were sent to various tobacco licensed locations throughout the city. The minor decoys waited outside each location and mentioned to patrons they were under the age of 21and asked if they could purchase tobacco products for them. The decoys contacted 8 adults of which (4) agreed to purchase tobacco. After the tobacco was furnished to the minor decoys the adults were detained. After they were positively identified they were issued citations for furnishing tobacco to a minor. All violators were released pending future court dates.
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
