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ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 13, 2023) – On May 31, 2023, Investigators with the Anaheim Police Department’s Vice Unit conducted a Shoulder Tap Operation within the City of Anaheim. Shoulder Tap Operations involve a minor decoy under the age of 21. Working under the direction and close observation of Investigators, these minors loiter in front of a liquor store and ask customers to purchase an alcoholic beverage for them. If an individual purchases alcohol for the minor, they are issued a misdemeanor citation for the violation. Those found guilty of furnishing alcohol to a minor face a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.
The team visited three alcohol retail establishments within the City of Anaheim. Twenty-eight individuals were contacted and nine citations were issued.
The primary goal behind Shoulder Tap Operations is not to issue citations, but to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking. More than 4,000 deaths of persons under the age of 21 occur annually as a result of DUI’s, alcohol poisonings, and other alcohol-related incidents.
This operation is one of many Shoulder Tap Operations the Anaheim Police Department will conduct in the next few months. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control through the department’s Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program.
