The San Diego Police Department received a $60,000 state grant to fund undercover operations targeting bars and restaurants that sell alcohol to minors or obviously intoxicated patrons.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) awarded the money through its Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program, according to an SDPD news release issued Thursday, Oct. 8. SDPD's award is one of about 43 the agency distributed to local law enforcement agencies across California this cycle.

The grant matters locally because SDPD's Northern Division, which covers La Jolla, is part of the department. The release did not specify which divisions would carry out enforcement.

SDPD has received the APP grant for several years and has used the funding for undercover operations, the release stated. Those operations also target illegal solicitations of alcohol and criminal activity at licensed establishments, including the sale and possession of illegal drugs.

ABC Acting Director Frank Robles said in an October statement about the grant cycle that the partnership program "can improve the quality of life in neighborhoods," according to the Contra Costa Herald.

The APP program dates to 1995 and is funded entirely by license fees paid by the alcoholic beverage industry, not by taxpayer appropriations, according to the ABC's program page. Enforcement strategies include undercover investigations, Minor Decoy operations in which underage volunteers attempt to buy alcohol, and Shoulder Tap stings in which minors ask adults outside stores to purchase for them.

The grant is part of a broader state push on alcohol enforcement. On Thursday, Oct. 1, the ABC separately announced it had received a $2.8 million grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to reduce underage drinking statewide. That grant supports 22 additional local law enforcement agencies with up to $30,000 each and runs through September 2027.

According to the ABC's program description, communities with a high concentration of alcohol outlets experience more alcohol-related problems, including drug dealing, public drunkenness, drunk driving, underage drinking and assaults.

The current APP grant cycle began in July 2026. No specific operation dates or enforcement timeline for San Diego have been announced.

Lt. Daniel Hall is the SDPD contact for the grant and can be reached at 619-531-1502. Residents who want to report alcohol-related concerns can contact the SDPD Northern Division at 858-552-1700 or file a complaint with the California ABC at abc.ca.gov.