7 Cited in MB for Buying Alcohol for Minors
The "shoulder tap" sting operation uses volunteer minors to approach 232 people outside of stores in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo. Grant funds cover the work.
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Seven people who bought alcohol in Manhattan Beach for minors they knew were underage were cited in late January, said Manhattan Beach Police Sergeant Chris Vargas.
Volunteer minors supervised by police enabled officers in MB, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo to issue 13 total citations for furnishing alcohol to a minor. Volunteers for such "shoulder tap" sting operations come from a variety of community and youth organizations that have anti-drug and anti-alcohol messages, said Sgt. Vargas.
Four citations were issued in El Segundo and two in HB.
Minors stood outside stores and asked 232 people to buy alcohol for them on Jan. 27. They told the adults their real ages, according to police.
The three police agencies received a $50,000 grant to reduce alcohol-related crimes. The money is being spent to train patrol officers and workers in stores or restaurants licensed to sell alcohol, as well as for conducting inspections and sting operations. The grant expires June 30, 2012.
James
3:44 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
That's entrapment and a bullshit waste of time and resources. Thanks for protecting and serving. God forbid a real crime happens in the South Bay,
Louis
4:51 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
I am against buying alcohol for minors, but I am also against entrapping my neighbors in momentary lapses of better judgment.
Gary D. McAulay
3:12 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
For the non-lawyers: it isn't entrapment.
Also: speeding up on a yellow traffic signal to beat the red light is a momentary lapse of judgment. Going into a store to do your shopping, and picking up some beer for a kid you know is underage, paying for it, and taking it out and giving it to him, is a deliberate act.
I won't argue about drinking under age 21. Furnishing alcohol to minors is illegal. If you don't like it, change the law or pay the fine. Or don't do it.
Larry
4:54 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
First, the police should be ashamed for this lowly scheme. And, why isn't it entrapment? The victims didn't drive up to the store with the entention of buying liquor for a minor. The minors involved approached the victims, put on their best puppy dog face, talked a well rehearsed sob story to get the victims to take the bait. Buying liquor for a minor was something the victims would not have ordinarily done. The minors mentally twisted the victims arms and suckered them to break the law. . The analogy of running a yellow light does not apply because you pass through hundreds of traffic lights every day. How often are you approached by a minor asking you to buy them alcohol? Again, its shameful action by the police. Very small of them.
Louis
5:14 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
I did not intend to use entrapment in the legal sense in my comment, however, I note that I have been practicing law for nearly 20 years and I don't think you can conclusively determine whether or not a defense of entrapment will be successful from a news article. What I do know is that there are elements of possible entrapment in the described activities and what experience tells me is entrapment will surely be among the defenses raised by those charged. In any event, I agree that this is shameful.
Fred
11:09 pm on Monday, April 30, 2012
In the real world this just doesn't happen, A minor doesn't go up to about 30 - 35 people and ask them to buy a six or 12 pack of beer for them. So if this isn't happening in the real world, why are the police doing this? Manhattan Beach law abiding citizens are the real victims of this.