12 Arrested In Escondido Alcohol Enforcement Operations

ESCONDIDO, CA – Police in Escondido arrested a dozen people and issued almost as many citations over the course of a yearlong effort to reduce alcohol-related crimes, including sales of alcohol to minors, the city's police department announced Tuesday.

Between July 1, 2017, and last Saturday, the Escondido Police Department conducted a series of alcohol enforcement operations, such as "minor decoy" operations, in which an underage person working under the direction of detectives attempts to purchase alcohol from a business, and "shoulder tap" operations, where a minor working with police asks patrons of a business to buy alcohol for them.

The EPD conducted five minor decoy operations at 48 businesses, and five shoulder tap operations in which 168 people were contacted. Police also targeted thefts of alcohol from businesses, businesses that sell alcohol to obviously-intoxicated people and narcotics-related offenses.

Officers made 12 arrests and issued 11 citations related to the efforts.

Additionally, the police department performed inspections of 34 establishments with alcohol sales licenses; hosted training classes for alcohol retailers to help them prevent illegal activity; and held five training sessions for police officers on alcohol enforcement topics.

The operations were funded with a grant from the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control through the Grant Assistance Program.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock