Santa Clara, Calif. – The Santa Clara Police Department Community Response Team (CRT) conducted Shoulder Tap operations at various alcohol retailers throughout the city. No alcohol was furnished to minors and no arrests were made in conjunction with the operation on November 19, 2025.  

A Shoulder Tap operation targets adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21. A minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement stands outside of a liquor or convenience store and asks customers to buy them alcohol. The minor also indicates they are underage and cannot purchase the alcohol.  Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program.

“Underage drinking harms our community. Preventing the sale of alcohol to minors will help to increase public safety and make our roads safer,” said Police Chief Cory Morgan.

If an adult agrees to purchase alcohol for the underage person, they can be arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.

“ABC conducts these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Paul Tupy. “We can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs by preventing underage drinking.”

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. About 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).