NEWS RELEASE
DATE: June 17, 2024
SUBJECT: Oxnard Store Clerks Cited for Selling Alcohol to Minors
LOCATION: Oxnard, California
CONTACT: Corporal Steven Ramirez II, F.A.C.T. Compliance Officer
(805) 385-3920 (Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm) | steven.ramirez@oxnardpd.org
Store Clerks in the City of Oxnard Cited for Selling Alcohol to Minors
The Oxnard Police Department, with assistance from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, cited two store clerks in the City of Oxnard for selling alcohol to a minor on June 17, 2024. The actions were the result of a minor decoy operation in which a minor, under the direct supervision of police officers, attempted to purchase alcohol from 10 retail licensees in the City of Oxnard.
For a first violation, clerks who sold alcohol to a minor could face a minimum fine of $250 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service. In addition, ABC will take administrative action against the business's alcoholic beverage license. That action may include a fine, suspension of the license, or permanent revocation of the license.
Compliance checks are conducted statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunk driving fatalities than the general adult population. The Oxnard Police Department is committed to reducing the harm associated with minors drinking alcohol.
Law enforcement agencies have been conducting minor decoy operations throughout the state since the 1980s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted routinely, the rate has dropped in some cities to as low as 10 percent.
In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the use of underage decoys is a valid tool for law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through the department's Grant Assistance Program. ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.