Crime & Safety

Adults in Manhattan Beach Caught Giving Alcohol to Minors

Police conduct a 'shoulder tap' sting in three beach cities.

A "shoulder tap" sting in three beach cities resulted in adults being cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor, said police.

The sting was conducted on Sunday, Jan. 10 in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo. Ninety-nine adults were asked by minors to buy alcohol for them. Five adults in Manhattan Beach were cited for doing so, with seven adults cited for the same in El Segundo, said Sgt. Chris Vargas of the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

Ninety-nine adults were asked by the minor decoys to purchase alcohol for them, five people in the City of Manhattan Beach and seven people in the City of El Segundo made a purchase and furnished alcohol to the minor decoys. These adults were subsequently cited for furnishing alcohol to minors. 

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In addition, one person was arrested for a warrant in Manhattan Beach and another person was arrested for possessing nitrous oxide in El Segundo, he said.

The Decoy Shoulder Tap Program is an enforcement program that ABC and local law enforcement agencies use to detect and deter alcohol sales to minors, said Vargas. Under direct supervision of law enforcement, a minor decoy solicits adults to buy alcohol for them outside ABC licensed stores. Vargas said the minor tells the adult his true age and asks them to purchase an alcoholic beverage. Any person seen giving alcohol to the minor is either arrested or cited.

Find out what's happening in Manhattan Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Vargas said the program's goal is to reduce underage alcohol consumption by deterring adults, through education and enforcement, from furnishing alcohol to minors outside of stores.

The program is funded by a grant that enables Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo police departments and ABC investigators to provide training to ABC licensed establishments, conduct briefing training to patrol officers and conduct inspections and sting operations to determine if licensed establishments are abiding by state laws and local operating permits.

Anyone with questions about the grant or program should contact Sgt. Chris Vargas at (310) 802-5158.


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