Los Angeles Police Department 2014 Safe & Sober Graduation Operation NR14214sm

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), in conjunction with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) will initiate the 16th annual Safe & Sober Graduation Operation during the month of June 2014.

This project is designed to curtail the accessibility of alcoholic beverages and promote “safe and sober” graduations throughout the 91 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) high schools.  Between May 29 and June 25, 2014, an estimated 27,000 students will graduate from LAUSD high schools.  Based on past events, it is anticipated that many graduating students will be celebrating this significant event in their young lives.  Many will be attempting to use alcoholic beverages as a means of enhancing their celebrations.  In an attempt to reduce the availability of alcoholic beverages to underage individuals and thereby save lives, vice units will be conducting a series decoy operations coinciding with high school graduations in their respective areas.

Beginning June 1, 2014, Area Vice Units will begin concentrating minor decoy and decoy shoulder tap operations at licensed ABC locations in the proximity of LAUSD high schools.  Between June 4 and 8, 2014, Area Vice Units will be on maximum deployment, focusing on alcohol-related crime issues involving underage minors attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages via the minor decoy and decoy shoulder tap operations.  These operations are designed to inhibit the flow of alcoholic beverages at the two primary sources: licensed locations and the parking lots of these locations.  Surveys conducted by major universities reveal 75 percent of high school seniors have consumed an alcoholic beverage within the past six months.  Studies also indicate that 46 percent of these students obtain alcoholic beverages by soliciting adults outside of markets and liquor stores.  Shoulder tap operations are specifically designed to curtail this type activity.

Detective Support and Vice Division (DSVD) is releasing this media advisory to alert individuals likely to furnish alcoholic beverages to under-aged individuals, that the Department of ABC and the LAPD will conduct undercover operations and will aggressively prosecute individuals who knowingly put alcohol in the hands of a minor.  Shoulder tap operations, similar to minor decoy operations, involve the soliciting of individuals outside of licensed ABC retail establishments to purchase an alcoholic beverage for a minor.  Last year’s 2013 Safe & Sober Graduation Operation resulted in the solicitation of 660 adults, with 44 violations.  Statistically, 93 percent of all adults approached refused the minor decoys’ request for alcohol.  Additionally, 185 licensed ABC locations within close proximity of local high schools and colleges were inspected via the minor decoy program, which resulted in 14 clerks being cited for selling alcoholic beverages to underage individuals (representing an 92 percent compliance rate).  Individuals convicted of furnishing a minor with an alcoholic beverage face a mandatory $1000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Subsequent Decoy Shoulder Tap Operations will be scheduled throughout the summer on a citywide basis in order to curtail the accessibility of alcoholic beverages to minors and reduce alcohol-related crimes.  This project is part of the Department of ABC’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Safety Administration.

For additional information please contact Sergeants Lifernando Garcia or Steve Moore, Operation ABC, DSVD, at (213) 486-0910.During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts