By Lookout Staff

May 8, 2025 -- Santa Monica police cited a retail clerk at Bristol Farms Wednesday for selling alcohol to a minor during a sting operation conducted by detectives, according to police officials.

The store at 3105 Wilshire Boulevard was one of 9 retail establishments targeted during the Minor Decoy Operation conducted as part of a statewide crackdown by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Clerks who sell to minors face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.

"In addition, ABC will take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor," police officials said.

"That may include a fine, a suspension of the license, or the permanent revocation of the license."

Wednesday's operation was one of a number of compliance checks conducted across the state, ABC officials said.

“Minor Decoy operations hold accountable those who sell alcohol to minors,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “Keeping alcohol away from youth is a priority.”

The statewide compliance checks are meant to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors, ABC officials said.

"Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population," officials said.

Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980’s.

The California Supreme Court paved the way for Shoulder Tap operations when it ruled in 1994 that minor decoys could be used by law enforcement to check whether stores were selling alcohol to minors.

At the time, the violation rate was nearly 50 percent, according to ABC officials. By 1997, the violation rate had "dramatically decreased" in cities that used the program on a regular basis.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.