NEWS RELEASE
| INCIDENT: | Minor Decoy Program |
| DATE/TIME: | January 29, 2017 1400 Hours to 2200 Hours |
| LOCATION: | Various Locations – Oxnard |
| VICTIM(S): | State of California |
| SUSPECT(S): | AM/PM, 500 S. Victoria Ave.
Sea Rounders, 2670 S. Ventura Rd Liquor Cellar, 150 W. Channel Islands Blvd. Puerto Vallarta, 3021 Saviers Rd. Fiesta Liquor, 1637 S. Oxnard Blvd. |
| PREPARED BY: | David Castillo, Police Officer |
| CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO: | David Castillo
(805) 385-8212 |
DETAILS:
The Oxnard Police Department cited five clerks for selling alcohol to minors on January 29, 2017. The actions were the result of a minor decoy operation in which minors under the direct supervision of officers, attempted to purchase alcohol from 17 retail licensees in the City of Oxnard. The following establishments were cited for selling alcohol to minors:
- AM/PM, 500 S. Victoria Ave.
- Sea Rounders, 2670 S. Ventura Rd
- Liquor Cellar, 150 W. Channel Islands Blvd.
- Puerto Vallarta, 3021 Saviers Rd.
- Fiesta Liquor, 1637 S. Oxnard Blvd.
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 take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business. That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license.
The Oxnard Police Department is conducting the compliance checks 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 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.
This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Education and Teen Alcohol Enforcement Program Grant, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DATE / TIME PREPARED: 1/29/17 2100 Hours