Results of 2009 Safe and Sober Graduation Operation NR09260SF

Los Angeles:  The 11th Annual Safe and Sober Graduation Operation proved successful to reduce accessibility of alcoholic beverages to minors and to promote "safe and sober" graduations throughout Los Angeles.

During the first weekend of the LAPD’s 2009 Safe and Sober Graduation Operation, 130 individuals were taken into police custody.  Eighty of those arrested were adults who furnished the teens with alcoholic beverages.      

Detective Support and Vice Division (DSVD), Operation ABC, with the assistance of Area Vice Unit personnel and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), initiated the 11th annual Safe and Sober Graduation Operation on May 28, 2009.   The goal of the project is to reduce the accessibility of alcoholic beverages to minors and to promote "safe and sober" graduations throughout the 80 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) high schools.  

Between June 4 and July 2, 2009, an estimated 28,000 students will graduate from LAUSD high schools.  Based on past events, it is anticipated that many graduating seniors will attempt to use alcoholic beverages as a means of enhancing their celebrations.  In an attempt to reduce the availability of alcoholic beverages to underage kids, undercover officers began conducting minor decoy and decoy shoulder tap operations at licensed ABC locations near LAUSD high school campuses.  During the next several weeks, additional operations will be conducted in conjunction with high school graduations.  

During the first four days of Save and Sober Graduation Operations, compliance checks were conducted at 220 licensed ABC locations.  Forty-three clerks, 20% were cited after they failed to appropriately identify the age of the minor decoys and sold them an alcoholic beverage.  Decoy shoulder tap operations conducted outside of 78 licensed ABC locations revealed an 85% compliance rate, as only 37 of the 239 adults who were approached, actually furnished alcoholic beverages to one of the undercover officers.  An additional 50 individuals were taken into custody for various alcohol-related offenses.  Five counterfeit drivers’ licenses were also recovered from minors attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages in the presence of undercover officers.  

Individuals convicted of furnishing a minor with an alcoholic beverage face a mandatory $1000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

For additional information please contact Sergeant Lifernando Garcia or Steve Moore, Operation ABC, DSVD, at 213-972-2534 or 213-972-2532.