SOUTH LAKE TAHOE/STATELINE-  Fourteen California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agents packed their bags for a long New Year’s holiday assignment in South Lake Tahoe and Stateline in order to enforce alcoholic beverage control laws and assist local agencies with the annual Snow Globe event and the increased number of party-goers.

“There is no question this is a long, freezing cold assignment every year,” said California Alcoholic Beverage Control Agents (CABCA) President Kevin Highbaugh.  “On New Year’s Eve, the temperature dropped down into single digits.  Due to the assignment, the agents were not able to bring in the new year with their families, but we had a very important public safety service to provide.  This area of Tahoe becomes packed with holiday revelers and calls for service go way up.  We wanted everyone to celebrate safely and that’s why we were there, arresting or citing those who weren’t playing it safe and who were breaking the law.”

The 14 agents arrested 165 people at the annual Snow Globe Concert event for violations such as drug possession, drunk in public, furnishing alcohol to minors,  fake id’s, and minors in possession of alcohol.

South Lake Tahoe police report making 5 arrests for public intoxication, 1 for an illegal weapon, 1 for a minor in possession and one for trespassing.  They also issued 169 citations for things like false id’s, open containers, drug possession and minors in possession of alcohol.

South Lake Tahoe police publically thanked ABC agents and its other  allied law enforcement agencies for providing mutual aid as more than 40,000 people converged for the Snow Globe event and others gathered at Stateline.

“New  Year’s Eve is a night that traditionally involves a lot of alcohol and it’s our jobs to prevent tragedy so that those celebrating return home to their families in one piece, and can say, ‘that was an awesome time,'” said Highbaugh.  “A special thank you to the agents and their families who know that this is a job that takes agents away from home many nights, weekends and holidays.  I wish them all a terrific and safe 2016.”

“ABC agents are always on the go, working these types of very large events in an effort to keep people safe,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.  “They are a huge service to local law enforcement agencies and will make the same types of arrests for weapons, domestic violence, drug possession, and assaults.  I thank them for their service.”