MEDIA ADVISORY

Date of Advisory: Feb. 10, 1999

Test I.D. Scanners Unveiled

for Valentine’s Day Weekend

Operation Safe Crossing

CONTACTS: Mary Ann Dunwell

619/474-8844 x33 or 520-4121

Saul Cano 619/474-8844 x 24

or 843-6405 (Spanish)

SDPD Sgt. Rudy Tai 619/424-0404
              
WHEN: FRIDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 12, 1999 Enforcers will make statements at 9 and 10 p.m. Live interviews available from 10-11:15 p.m. Law enforcement activities will begin at an undisclosed time Friday evening. Call to arrange other interview times.  
WHAT: Law enforcement officers will test a new scanner to check I.D. and verify age. It works similar to a grocery store scanner.
       
Police will "swipe" the I.D. card onto the scanner, it reads the magnetic strip and reveals the card owner’s age. The scanners are another important tool in Operation Safe Crossing, the intervention and law enforcement of young people crossing the border from the U.S. into Mexico. In addition, teenage volunteers and community activists will be handing out Valentine candy donated by Costco along with a special Valentine.
           
WHERE: San Ysidro-Tijuana border crossing and throughout Tijuana. Briefings will take place on the US side near the southbound pedestrian turnstiles (last exit).
                  
BRIEFERS:
Greg Cox, SD County Supervisor (619) 531-5439
Juan Vargas, SD City Council Member, 8th District (619) 236-6688
S.D.P.D., Capt. Adolfo Gonzales (619) 424-0410, Sgt.Rudy Tai (619)424-0404
Lic.Juan B.Tintos Funcke, Secretary of Tourism, Baja California 0115266 34-60-30
Luz Maria Davila, Dir, International Relations, Office of the Mayor,Tijuana (619) 267-9071
James Baker, Executive Director, IHA (619) 474-8889 520-7211 (day/night)
                            
BACKGROUND: Thousands of young people on any weekend night head to Tijuana, where the legal drinking age is 18, seeking readily available liquor. Hundreds become intoxicated and endanger themselves and others while behind the wheel or as victims of crime such as rape and robbery. Operation Safe Crossing is a combined effort of numerous law enforcement agencies to prevent youths under age 18 from entering Mexico without parental consent and to reduce DUIs, alcohol-related crashes, and other alcohol-related crime and violence along the Tijuana/San Diego border region. This operation is responsible for turning away thousands of youths and making arrests in a binational initiative to reduce these problems.
                           
US LAW ENFORCEMENT: SDPD, National City PD, U.S. Customs, INS, CA ABC, Federal & Shore Police
  • Southbound I.D. scanner checks of youthful appearing border crossers to stop those under 18 from crossing without a notarized letter from their parent.
  • Northbound D.U.I. operations, detention of severely intoxicated pedestrians, crowd control

 

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