Employees at Four Businesses Cited for Selling Alcohol to Female Decoy, Age 18

Employees at four Redlands businesses were cited Friday for allegedly selling alcohol to an 18-year-old female decoy working with the Redlands Police Department, a city spokesman said Monday.

Two restaurants and two gas station convenience stores sold alcohol to the young woman, according to Redlands police, who worked with an Alcoholic Beverage Control investigator on Feb. 8.

"In each instance the businesses face possible fines or license suspensions from ABC," Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said.

The volunteer decoy, in coordination with Redlands police and the Alcoholic Beverage Control investigator, "visited 15 bars and restaurants licensed to sell alcohol on the premises and 15 businesses that sell alcohol for off-site consumption," Baker said.

Of the 30 businesses, the four that sold alcohol to the decoy were identified as:

- The Wild Rocket at 345 W. Pearl Ave., which allegedly sold alcohol to the decoy without asking her age or checking identification. The bartender was cited, Baker said.

- The Royal Falconer at 106 W. Orange St., where a bartender checked the decoy's valid California ID and allegedly took her order. Another employee allegedly served her a beer without checking ID. Both employees were cited, Baker said.

- The Unocal 76 gas station at 1075 Parkford Drive, where a clerk allegedly checked the decoy's ID before selling her beer. The clerk was cited, Baker said.

- The AM/PM at 2098 W. Redlands Blvd., where a clerk allegedly checked the decoy's ID before selling her beer. The clerk was cited, Baker said.

"During decoy operations, minor decoys are required to answer truthfully if asked their age and to provide valid identification indicating they are underage to buy alcohol," Baker said.

The so-called "minor decoy operation" on Feb. 8 was paid for in part by a $7,500 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, according to Baker.

The grant will help pay for training for business owners, put on by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and hosted by the Redlands Police Department, Baker said.

"The free training for owners, managers and employees who sell or serve alcohol includes information on state and local laws, owner and employee liability, community standards, checking ID, identifying and refusing sales to minors and identifying and refusing sales to intoxicated persons," Baker said.

Classes for bars and restaurants that sell alcohol for consumption on site are scheduled 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday Feb. 22, Baker said.

Classes for businesses that sell alcohol for off-site consumption are scheduled 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday Feb. 22, Baker said.

The training is scheduled at the Redlands Police Annex, 30 Cajon St. Baker said the grant funding runs until June 30, 2013, and it covers officer overtime.

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