On March 10, Ontario Police Officers joined forces with law enforcement agencies throughout California in a statewide shoulder tap operation. Ontario Police Officers conducted shoulder tap operations at Circle K located at 405 N. Vineyard Avenue, AM/PM located at 2195 S. Haven Avenue, 7-Eleven located at 3490 E. Jurupa Street, Mountain Mission Liquor located at 830 S. Mountain Avenue, Mountain Market and Liquor located at 1035 W. Philadelphia Street, Andy’s Market located at 1245 N. Grove Avenue, and Schiro’s Liquor Store located at 410 E. Holt Boulevard.
The operation targets adults who purchase alcohol for people under 21-years of age. 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 comply, officers arrest and cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor.
During the operation, approximately 18 adults were contacted by a minor decoy. Of those who were contacted, two agreed to illegally buy alcohol for the decoy. The subjects were arrested and cited.
The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1000 fine / 24 hours of community service and up to 3 years’ probation. Funding for the enforcement was provided by a grant from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
The Ontario Police Department received a grant from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in July for the 2017/2018 fiscal year. The Ontario Police Department and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will continue to work together throughout the year to limit the availability of alcohol to minors, and reduce alcohol-related crimes by getting local establishments to comply with alcohol laws.