A joint operation between the Nevada County Sheriff's Office and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control resulted in one person being cited for providing alcohol to a minor. The enforcement, part of Alcoholic Beverage Control's statewide Shoulder Tap operation, took place in Penn Valley last Saturday, as reported by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement conducted a sting operation in which a minor, under supervision, asked adults outside stores to purchase alcohol while stating they were underage. Adults who agreed were cited. Sergeant Andrew Liller of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office stated, "The goal is to deter furnishing of alcohol to minors and to bring awareness to the dangers of underage alcohol abuse."

According to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office on their Facebook page, the Shoulder Tap operation, funded by ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership program and the California Office of Traffic Safety through National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, targets adults who provide alcohol to minors. Violators face a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Joseph McCullough stated, "We conduct these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth. By preventing underage drinking, we can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUIs." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking.