South Lake Tahoe, CA…Statewide, Agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and Officers from at least 109 Police and Sheriff’s Departments joined forces throughout California in the Largest Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation in State History. The operation has resulted in 522 arrests as of 10pm on March 15. This operation involved several teams from ABC and at least 109 local police agencies. The Shoulder Tap Operation was designed to help reduce youth access to alcohol.

The task force operation has resulted so far in 522 arrests, this involves statistics that have been tallied as of 10pm on Saturday, March 15. Most individuals have been cited for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors, and others have been arrested for crimes such as drunken driving, illegal drugs, false identification, open containers in public, public drunkenness, parole violations and outstanding warrants.

ABC agents and local law enforcement conducted a Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation which can lead to the arrest of adults who purchase alcohol for people under 21 years old.  Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol.  The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.

If the adults agree to purchase alcohol for the minor, officers then arrest and cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor.  The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors.  According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromise health, and result in unintentional injury and death.

South Lake Tahoe PD conducted the operation with funding from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control through the department’s Grant Assistance Program (GAP).

On March 15, 2014, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department conducted a Shoulder Tap Decoy Operation resulting in four arrests:

1. Stevie Smith, 23 year old female from Pasadena.

2. Harvey Hampton, 58 year old male from South Lake Tahoe.

3. Charles Kerr, 72 year old male from South Lake Tahoe.

4. Hamza Salmi, 32 year old male from San Francisco.