Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Task Force (SITF) conducted Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Shoulder Tap Operations throughout Fresno County on Saturday, March 14th, 2020.
During the course of this operation, detectives contacted approximately three dozen people, which resulted in the issuance of six citations. These operations were conducted county wide at 12 different business establishments throughout Fresno County.
Shoulder Tap Operations involve a minor under the age of 21. Working under the direction and observation of detectives, these minors loiter in front of a liquor store and ask customers to purchase an alcoholic beverage for them. If an individual purchases alcohol for the minor, they are issued a misdemeanor citation for the violation. Those found guilty of furnishing alcohol to a minor face a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.
The primary goal behind Shoulder Tap Operations is not to issue citations, but to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking. More than 4,000 deaths of persons under the age of 21 occur annually as a result of DUIs, alcohol poisonings and other alcohol-related incidents. The timing of the event was strategic, occurring just prior to the St. Patrick’s Day holiday weekend and upcoming spring break sessions.
This operation is one of many shoulder tap operations the Sheriff’s Office and California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) will be conducting in the next few months, leading up to the end of the school year. Thus far in 2020, the Sheriff’s Office is averaging 8.2% of sales through Minor Decoy operations, resulting in nine citations from 77 contacts.
The alcohol bought for the minors was photographed as evidence for the misdemeanor case and returned to the business it was purchased from. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California ABC through the department’s Alcohol Policing Partnership (AAP) program. ABC is a special fund agency. Its budget and this program are funded entirely by license fees from the alcoholic beverage industry.
