Agents of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) along with the Escondido Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit cited one store clerk for selling alcohol to a minor on Aug 23, 2012. The action was the result of a minor decoy operation in which minors under the direct supervision of department agents attempted to purchase alcohol from 11 retail licensees in the city of Escondido.
The clerk, employed by the Snack & Bottle Shop located in the 700 Block of East Valley Pkwy., who sold to the minor faces a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC will take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license.
ABC is conducting the compliance checks statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population.
Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities as low as 10 percent or even below.
In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that use of underage decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through the department’s Grant Assistance Program.
Any questions can be directed to Sgt. Craig Miller at (760) 839-4759.
