Police and ABC cite clerk for furnishing alcohol to minors
Published on May 02, 2023
Menlo Park, Calif. — Menlo Park police officers and agents of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) cited one clerk for selling alcohol to minors on May 2, 2023. The action was the result of a minor decoy operation in which minors under the direct supervision of department agents, attempted to purchase alcohol from 10 retail licensees in the City of Menlo Park.
Those who sold to the minor face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC will pursue administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license.
ABC is conducting the compliance checks statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population.
Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980’s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities to as low as 10 percent or even below.
In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that use of underage decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through the department’s Alcohol Policing Partnership Program.
About the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is an agency of the government of the state of California charged with the regulation of alcoholic beverages. ABC’s mission is to provide the highest level of service and public safety to the people of California through licensing, education, and enforcement. ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.
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Contact:
Officer Galen Fliege
gpfliege@menlopark.gov
650-330-6300