Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by
On March 3, 2023, San José Police Department Officers, along with an agent from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) arrested and cited two individuals for providing alcohol to a minor and one store clerk for selling alcohol to a minor while conducting a Shoulder Tap operation.
Shoulder Tap operations target adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. A minor under the direct supervision of peace officers stands outside a liquor or convenience store and asks patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the minor, officers then arrest and cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.
The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through NHTSA.
Anyone with information on licensed liquor establishments providing alcohol to minors can submit crime tips and remain anonymous by using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or on www.svcrimestoppers.org.
Content retrieved from: https://www.sjpd.org/Home/Components/News/News/1123/262.
