SANTA MONICA—On Monday, March 28, the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) performed an undercover Decoy/Shoulder Tap operation within the Santa Monica region. According to a press release from Sgt. Robert Blicharski, the department utilized a supervised underage decoy, where the enforcement team visited 2 alcohol retail establishments in the region and made a total of 36 contacts.

The decoy stood outside and solicited adult patrons to act as proxies and purchase alcohol on their behalf. One misdemeanor citation was issued during the operation. Specific details about the citation were not immediately available to the press.

The aim of Decoy Shoulder Tap operations are geared towards adults who knowingly furnish alcoholic beverages to minors. The goal is to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors and to send a clear message that it is illegal for adults to facilitate such access.

The operation is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.