6 People Cited For Buying Alcohol For Minors In Long Beach

LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach police cited six people for buying alcohol for minors during recent undercover operations.

During the period of October 2023 to May 2024, the Long Beach Police Department and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted "shoulder tap" operations.

During the operations, a decoy under the supervision of police stands outside liquor or convenience stores to ask customers to buy them alcohol. The decoy also makes sure to indicate they are underage, so they can't purchase the drinks themself.

“It’s important to uphold our community’s values by taking enforcement or education action against those who contribute to the delinquency or our minors,” said LBPD Commander Michael Richens.

Adults who agree to purchase alcohol for an underage person may be arrested or cited and released for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers, the LBPD said. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “By preventing underage drinking we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs.”