NEWS RELEASE

DATE:           February 01, 2025

SUBJECT:    California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control "Shoulder Tap” Operation

LOCATION: Oxnard, California

CONTACT:   Corporal Steven Ramirez II, F.A.C.T. Compliance Officer

(805) 385-7600 | [email protected]

Oxnard Police Department and ABC Conduct Underage Drinking Enforcement Operation

On February, 1, 2025, officers from the Oxnard Police Department and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) conducted a joint “Shoulder Tap” operation in the City of Oxnard related to furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors. This enforcement operation is designed to create awareness about the dangers of underage drinking throughout California and keep communities safe. During the operation, eight Oxnard residents were contacted and three purchased alcohol for the minor decoys.

 

A “Shoulder Tap” operation focuses on adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. During the operation, a minor, under the direct supervision of law enforcement, stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $3,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

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). This operation was funded by ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership program.