Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

The Eureka Police Department conducted a Shoulder Tap operation on March 15th, 2025 within the city limits of Eureka, CA as a part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s (ABC) Annual Statewide Shoulder Tap Operation. This operation resulted in one subject being booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) for public intoxication and two additional subjects being cited for furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor.

Shoulder Tap operations target adults who purchase alcohol for persons under the age of 21.

During a Shoulder Tap operation, 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.

Underage drinking harms our community. Preventing the sale of alcohol to minors will help to increase public safety and make our roads safer.

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.

“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.”

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).

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program.