On March 08, 2023, officers from the Sacramento Police Department, in addition to agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) participated in a Shoulder Tap Operation, which is a program that holds adults accountable who purchase alcohol for individuals under 21 years of age. The operation was conducted in the East Sacramento area. During the operation, four individuals were arrested for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors and one individual was arrested for a felony warrant.

Under the Shoulder Tap Operation program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer, will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If the adults agree and purchases 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 $1000 fine and 24 hours of community service

The goal of the operation is 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% 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 ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program.

ABC protects communities through education, prevention, and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws.

ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.