California Alcoholic Beverage Control

Target Responsibility for Alcohol Connected Emergencies

The TRACE program administered by the California Alcoholic Beverage Control is an investigative component directed towards the successful arrest and prosecution of those individuals over the age of 21 who provide alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 21 who are then involved in incidents resulting in death or serious injury.

TRACE was developed by task force representatives from the California Attorney General’s Office, the Alcoholic Beverage Control, Office of Traffic Safety,

California Highway Patrol, California Police Chiefs Association, California State Sheriffs’ Association, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The task force was charged with developing a protocol for officers investigating alcohol-related incidents involving under-aged drinkers to identify the source(s) of the alcohol.

TRACE first began receiving grant funding in 2004, and to present date, has been awarded more than $2 million from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Primary funding to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control goes towards the full time staffing of three sworn investigators and a sworn supervisor to administer the program and maintain a case log database for statistical tracking. Additional funding is provided to other statewide investigators for paid overtime to investigate TRACE related maters, as well as to provide training and support to allied law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders throughout California.

As of September 2011, the TRACE program has initiated 593 investigations involving 429 fatalities. The Department has filed more than 50 administrative accusations against licensed businesses that sold alcoholic beverages in connection with these related incidents and conducted more than 163 criminal arrests.

The California Alcoholic Beverage Control has presented the TRACE program to other law enforcement agencies in Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, and before national agencies and associations such as OJJDP, the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association, National Conference of State Liquor Administrators, MADD, and Friday Night Live.

In addition to the law enforcement components of the grant funded program, allocation is also provided for the education of California’s youth on subjects pertaining to underage drinking, drinking and driving, and prevention matters.

TRACE has ongoing partnerships with youth oriented organizations such as Friday Night Live, MADD, and the California Parent Teachers Association to participate in youth leadership summits and teenage training symposiums on safety education.

The California ABC is able to provide educational training on the program’s history and effectiveness, collaboration with allied agencies, investigative techniques and a multitude of resources.

Further information about the California Alcoholic Beverage Control TRACE program can be found by visiting http://www.abc.ca.gov/programs/Trace.html or by simply calling (916) 419-2500.

TRACE Program Contact Person:

Jeff Gregson

Supervising Investigator

TRACE Program

California Alcoholic Beverage Control

3927 Lennane Drive Suite 100

Sacramento, California 95834

(916) 419-2517