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Deputies Play Drunk to Bust IB Shopkeepers

A deputy acting and smelling intoxicated attempted to buy alcohol from local establishments.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department conducted a “drunk decoy” detail in Imperial Beach Saturday to see if businesses that sell alcohol would sell to a deputy posing as an intoxicated customer.

The deputy was sprayed with alcohol and acted drunk as he entered the businesses and attempted to buy alcohol. Of the 11 businesses that were visited, six sold alcohol to the decoy, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Plain-clothes deputies re-entered the establishments and contacted the employees that sold alcohol to the decoy, but no citations were issued. The employees were given handouts and advice on spotting intoxicated customers.

Agents from Alcoholic Beverage Control assisted in the detail, which was funded by a $100,000 grant from ABC.   

The detail also visited businesses in Bonita. The names of the businesses targeted were not released by the Sheriff’s Department.

cynthia ellen hites December 9, 2012 at 12:58 am
$100,000 for that little experiment seems a little drastic to me!
Libi Uremovic December 9, 2012 at 01:37 am
we know it's not illegal to sell to someone that's pretending to be drunk....
but is it illegal to sell to someone if they're actually drunk, but walking home and not driving?
Brash Brazen December 9, 2012 at 04:24 am
Another irrational use of our dwindling law enforcement resources,if we have enough deputies & ABC agents for this stupidity we haven't laid enough of them off !!!
Shorebird December 9, 2012 at 11:57 am
and we know they are just pretending to be drunk because? A walking drunk can be just as much of a hazard as a driving drunk and more trouble. These are the ones that urinate on sidewalks, decide to direct traffic, walk into the wrong house or try to break in because they think they are locked out of their own home. Ask a waitress or bartender or shop clerk. I will guarantee you there are plenty of liquor stores in IB that will sell to persons clearly inebriated, I've seen it happen.
Kelly Tracy December 9, 2012 at 01:43 pm
They did the same thing just a few years ago at the same locations and there still giving training handouts and no tickes?????????
JOhn December 9, 2012 at 01:45 pm
It's called being proactive on a law enforcement front. If you read the article it said they conducted the operation from a grant money, most likely from a non-profit. Someone walking home can cause problems just ask the idiot who was so drunk that he broke into the wrong house and got naked and then proceeded to get the living shit kicked out of home a few months back. He was lucky the homeowner did not have a gun. We have a huge drinking problem in this country and anything Law Enforcement can do to help with the problem is OK with me. If you asked me the owner's should have been fined they know the law, ABC have classes every few months that are required for bartenders and other who serve alcohol and they just has one in September so I think they got off easy.
Kelly Tracy December 9, 2012 at 01:47 pm
The Sheriff's department did the same thing a few years ago at the same locations and there still giving training handout and no tickets-------why?????
Libi Uremovic December 9, 2012 at 03:04 pm
because it's not illegal to sell booze to a actor/cop...it's a big waste of money and i don't know why anyone would assume the stunt was believable...
there's usually a number of reports of drunk in public charges on the police blotter every week....the practical approach would be for the sheriffs to check for a receipt when they pick up drunks - then go to the location where the booze was sold and issue a fine/citation... no extra tax payer funding needed.....
Libi Uremovic December 9, 2012 at 08:17 pm
no, grant money isn't 'most likely non-profit'...it's federal tax dollars....
federal tax dollars come out of the tax payer pocket right here in ib... we have hemorrhaging federal debt...cutting off the numerous federal grants for worthless projects like this is exactly what needs to be cut...
Kelly Tracy December 10, 2012 at 12:03 am
I don't believe anyone on here was condoning the money spent on this, regardless of where the money comes from the point is the businesses have ongoing training for their personnel they know better and yet they still break the law and it is sad to see you seem to think it's OK to keep selling alcohol to intoxicated people.
Bong Sativa December 10, 2012 at 12:05 am
This is just another reason more & more people have less & less respect for the law & those sworn to enforce it everyday !
Libi Uremovic December 10, 2012 at 11:43 am
the store owners didn't sell booze to intoxicated people kelly... they didn't break any laws....
the only 'goal' was to waste tax payer dollars and run up more debt on a federal level... if you want money spent of worthless 'activities' then contact your representatives and tell them to raise your taxes on a local, state, and federal level to pay for it... each one of these 'feel good' programs end up costing millions from creation to implementation....most of it's federal money so it's all on credit cards.... what was this effort really 'worth' to you kelly? $1,000 out of your pocket....$5,000 out of your pocket....is there a limit to how much money is wasted in the name of 'feel good'...? our store owners are struggling ...i'd like to see my tax dollars go to helping the small business owner, not trying to discrete them and shut them down...
Paula Winchester December 10, 2012 at 02:45 pm
I'm with Libi on this one Kelly. They can give a ticket to someone pretending to be drunk because he WASN'T drunk. They know that if challenged on it in court the judge would throw it out. It's a waste of money and a shame to target our local businesses struggling in this economy. Use the money where it's needed, this was not only a waste of money but also a waste of time!
Paula Winchester December 10, 2012 at 02:46 pm
I meant to say they can't give a ticket.
Paul Dykes December 10, 2012 at 06:58 pm
I bet every single one of these keystone kops is on overtime, before the "mission" even started. Ya know, wink wink, it's Christmastime, everyone needs a little extra money. That's called theft and fraud. When done on a departmental level, I would apply the RICO act. Seriously. And no, I'm not afraid to put my name.
Miriam Iosupovici December 12, 2012 at 12:41 am
Just as I was reading these comments, a notice appeared from PATCH to the right of the article ab the 2 DUI suspects injuring people in IB. I don't think this 'drunk detail' is simply a 'feel good' action: it is potentially preventative, BUT there obviously should be more than a warning issued. The amount of money spent on the negative outcomes of our legally sanctioned drug, alcohol, is staggering.

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Marcus Boyd June 17, 2013 at 05:41 pm
My daughter made one for me on her laptop... now I see why! Lucky me though, it was one-of-a-kind!
Vanessa Olvera June 18, 2013 at 10:12 am
I contributed to this lack of cards.
ibcalif June 17, 2013 at 01:10 pm
Poor Tom still unhappy when pet owners DO pick up after their pets?? Yes, Tom, kids do play on theirRead More parents lawns. And on all their neighbors lawn. And in the streets. And on their cars. And demand their neighbors pay for parks programs so the kids parents don't have to. It must be that "we all live in the same community" thing and have to get along thing, eh? Yes, you are as "wierd" (sic) as you guessed. BTW, nice bragging about threatening to make someone eat dog crap from your yard.
Ed Kravitz June 17, 2013 at 01:56 pm
Wow...another flying monkey just flew bye!
Tammy Petersen Jenkins June 18, 2013 at 06:53 pm
My faith has been restored. Looking outside my kitchen window this a.m. I saw a man walking his dogRead More with a bucket and pick-up grabber. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was cleaning up all of the dog feces along the estuary on Seacoast. I will keep my eyes out for him again so that I can go out and personally thank him for his great volunteer work. What a great IB resident!!
Ed Kravitz June 16, 2013 at 08:34 pm
You could call Pacifica Companies...Maybe Alison Rolfson? You could call your local City CouncilRead More Representative or go to the Council Meeting early on Wednesday evening and fill out a speakers card and post the same question to the City Council. Share with us what you find out! (If Anything?) Tell them you don't care for the way they pick City Attorneys, City Managers or replacement Council Members in closed session while you're at it.
TV in IB
Jim June 7, 2013 at 10:58 am
This is a delaying tactic. They are going to try to appease enough of the groups to break up theRead More coalition. The IBCC has given away millions to some of the richest men in San Diego County. Why are the people forced to take a hair cut on the budget crisis. Let the city employees who stood by and did nothing while getting raises as IB was looted. Sincerely, IBMad@madenoughyet.com
Marcus Boyd June 7, 2013 at 11:46 am
Thank you for posting this. Great job to all who were involved with the Alternative Solution to IBRead More Sports Park Privatization Planning Committee. While the above referenced "delaying tactic" is likely true, it will be up to the community's grassroots activism to force the council to a public decision on the issue. Their "delaying tactic" comes with a price in 2014 - when two council seats and the mayors seat is up for grabs. Who's interested?
Ed Kravitz June 7, 2013 at 01:42 pm
Mayor Janney seems anguished at finding a process he can still control ? Probably so he can finishRead More the deal and deliver the goods; per the previous DONE DEAL. He acts like; No matter what process they do, the only decision will be YMCA. 16:08 Janney: "We can appoint our plants on the committee?" Gary Brown: "Oh Yea!" "OH YEA!" _____________________________________ If the YMCA took over ownership of Municipal Property and then went Bankrupt....would tax-payer assets be sold off to the highest bidder via Bankruptcy Proceedings? Maybe the YMCA is going to pass the properties through to another entity that will buy them out when they file for planned future bankruptcy? Hey ...If the YMCA is running the Municipal Pools in Chula Vista and National City now...maybe they'd like to build a pool for Imperial Beach with their own money; since all the Imperial Beach RDA money went for "OTHER PROJECTS"? Is this a classic struggle over who controls the children in the community?
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Melissa Jacobson June 5, 2013 at 08:15 pm
@ john 10 news found expired canned food from December..
John Galt June 5, 2013 at 09:06 pm
Melissa - I know that. My comment is saying that canned goods keep past the expiration date justRead More fine. It is the processed meats in the cold sections that concern me most, followed by produce.
Kelly Tracy June 6, 2013 at 09:03 am
I have been here in IB for ten years and maybe shopped at moldies/Wallys a dozen times 9 of thoseRead More were for wine. The first experience at walley was a sale on bad meat for a BBQ and yogurt that was expired the second time was canned goods that were on sale and I was charged full price the third time was a watermelon well at least the mellon was good ;-/ we need a Whole foods or Trader Joes in IB
Erika Lowery June 11, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Is there any update? I see the flyers as I go around town and I worry about her.
Pat P June 12, 2013 at 07:30 am
Have you checked Chula Vista AC on Beyer? They pick up dogs in IB that are loose.
Agenta Nines June 13, 2013 at 10:10 pm
i seen a dog that looked like her in a yard on the corner of elder and 3rd. small house. It might beRead More their dog. but it is worth driving by
The Imperial Beach Optimist Club invites you!
IB Candy June 12, 2013 at 12:13 am
I didn't know the actual name of the event was "The Port of San Diego Sun & Sea FestivalRead More Imperial Beach" ...and i'm on the steering committee. HA!