SJPD and ABC Cite Two in Statewide Underage Drinking Enforcement Operation

MEDIA ADVISORY

On March 9, 2024, the San José Police Department and California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agents cited two individuals in San José during ABC’s statewide Shoulder Tap operation for 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.

A Shoulder Tap operation focuses on adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. 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 and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”

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. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking.

This operation was funded by ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership program and the California Office of Traffic Safety through NHTSA.

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