Clovis Police and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control arrested two people on Friday for providing alcohol to minors.

The arrests were part of a Shoulder Tap operation, in which a minor under the direct supervision of law enforcement asks adults outside a liquor or convenience store to purchase alcohol, while clearly stating they are underage.

Adults who agree to buy the alcohol can be cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor, which carries a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, police said.

“Underage drinking harms our community. Preventing the sale of alcohol to minors will help to increase public safety and make our roads safer,” said Clovis Police Corporal Russ Moring.

“ABC conducts these operations to keep alcohol out of the hands of our youth,” said ABC Director Paul Tupy. “We can increase the quality of life in our communities and reduce DUI’s by preventing underage drinking.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, young drivers under 21 are at a higher risk of being involved in crashes, and about 25 percent of fatal crashes involve underage drinking, the Clovis Police Department noted.

The operation was funded by a grant from the ABC Alcohol Policing Partnership program.

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