05/30/2026
RPD ABC Minor Decoy Operation
Redding Police Department and the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) run operations in an attempt to reduce underage drinking.
Redding Police Department officers conducted a Minor Decoy operation on May 19th, 2026, in the City of Redding. During the Minor Decoy operation, a total of 20 businesses were visited and one of the store clerks sold alcohol to a minor. This occurred at Safeway, located at 2275 Pine Street.
Store employees who sell alcohol to a minor face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC may take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. That may include a fine, a suspension or the permanent revocation of the license. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service.
ABC is conducting the compliance checks statewide to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population.
Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980’s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities as low as 10 percent or even below. In 1994, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that use of underage decoys is a valid tool of law enforcement to ensure that licensees are complying with the law.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) through the Department’s Alcohol Policing Partnership.
Contact: Cpl. Chapman
(530)225-4200
