Police cite 22 people locally in crackdown on adults who buy alcohol for minors

Twenty-two people were cited in the Sacramento area on Saturday for purchasing alcohol for minors during a statewide underage drinking operation, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Officers cited and then released five people in Citrus Heights, seven in Sacramento, five in Lodi and five more in Placer County, the department reported in a release Sunday morning. More than 350 people were cited or arrested statewide.

To make the arrests, the department uses a method called the “Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation,” according to a news release.

Under the program, minors under the supervision of police officers stand outside liquor or convenience stores and ask patrons to buy them alcohol, according to the news release. The minors say they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If the adults agree, and purchase alcohol for the minors, officers then arrest or cite them.

The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Officers from more than 70 local law enforcement agencies participated in the program. Thirteen people were cited for having open containers, and 21 others were either arrested or given citations for other reasons, including having outstanding warrants, being in possession of drugs and violating parole.

The purpose of the operation is to reduce the amount of alcohol that is available to minors, the department said.

“The goal of the operation was to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and also make it clear to any adults that buy alcohol for minors that there are serious consequences,“ California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Jacob Appelsmith said in the release Sunday. “Unfortunately over 4,000 young people die in alcohol-related tragedies every year in this country.”

This story was originally published March 10, 2019 at 12:37 PM.