LAKE COUNTY — According to press release supplied by Sgt. Kevin Odom of Lakeport Police Department, officers from the Lakeport Police Department in conjunction with investigators from the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) and an Officer from the Petaluma Police Department conducted a county-wide decoy shoulder tap operation at ABC licensed businesses. The operation was directed at detecting and deterring shoulder tap activity.
During the time that the program was in place, a minor decoy, under the direct supervisor of law enforcement officers, solicited adults outside ABC licensed stores to buy alcoholic beverages.
Operations were conducted at 12 licensed premises in the areas of Middletown, Lower Lake, Clearlake Oaks, and Kelseyville.
The underage decoys made 64 attempts to solicit subjects to purchase alcoholic beverages for them. Five people were arrested for purchasing alcohol for a minor.
The operation is funded by a grant from the ABC obtained by the Lakeport Police Department. Similar operations have already been accomplished in the Lakeport area. The grant runs for one year and future operations are planned in other areas of Lake County.
