The Santa Monica Police Department in conjunction with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will conduct several “Decoy Shoulder Tap” and “Minor Decoy Operations.” Specific dates were not released.
Decoy Shoulder Tap operations are geared towards adults who act as proxies and purchase alcoholic beverages at the request of minors soliciting outside licensed establishments.
SMPD Sgt. Rudy Camarena said the goal is to reduce access to alcohol and send a clear message that it is illegal for adults to purchase and furnish alcohol to minors.
“The Minor Decoy Program uses supervised individuals under the age of 20, who attempt to purchase alcohol at licensed premises,” Camarena said. “Any sale of alcohol to a minor decoy subjects the employee and the licensee to criminal and administrative sanctions.”
Camarena said these programs have proven to be an effective tool in promoting responsible practices in the sales of alcoholic beverages by licensees, reducing substance abuse and enhancing community welfare by limiting underage access to alcohol.
This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder
Tap Grant Project funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
