Newport Beach Police Officers along with agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) cited three suspects on May 17, 2025, for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors. The misdemeanor citations were the result of a “Shoulder Tap” operation. 

Shoulder Tap operations target adults who purchase alcohol for underage people. A minor decoy under the direct supervision of a police officer stands outside a liquor or convenience store and asks patrons to buy them alcohol. The decoy indicates that they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.  If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, agents can cite the adult for furnishing alcohol to a minor, which is a misdemeanor. The penalty is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

“Underage drinking harms our community. Never buy alcohol for a minor,” said Chief Dave Miner.  “We perform these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Chief Deputy Director Frank Robles. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce drunk driving crashes.”

Statistics show minors have a higher rate of drunk driving crashes than adults. About 25 percent of alcohol-related crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can also increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromised health, and result in unintentional injury and death.

Funding for this program was provided by an Alcohol Police Partnership (APP) Grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.