Tonight, police issue two citations out of 12 businesses approached. It's also the most rare. How it works The money for these projects designed to combat underage drinking didn't come from out of the blue. The Shasta County Sheriff's Department received the grant several years ago. After seeing an increase in teen drunken-driving accidents, Redding police decided to apply in 1999.
Education takes up most of the deputies' and officers' time.
They visit schools to talk with kids, participate in special events like Boardstock, the celebrated annual waterfest on Lake Shasta, and hold classes for liquor license establishments on how to comply with the alcohol laws. Most businesses comply, and if they make mistakes, fix them quickly, officials say. The 77 types of alcohol licenses aren't easy to get, and when they're revoked, they're nearly impossible to get back, said ABC Investigator Jerry Berenger. In addition, the business's alcohol license is suspended for 15 days. In addition to decoy operations, Redding police conduct ''shoulder taps,'' where underage kids ask strangers outside stores to buy alcohol for them.