At a bar, a doorman’s job is to check the identification of the patron’s entering the establishment. This is done to comply with the city’s alcohol ordinance allowing no patrons under the age of 21 inside a liquor-licensed premise.

However, the routine checking of identification at the door is not fool proof, as Mother’s, 506 Monroe Ave., found out on February 17.

During a private event, the Charleston Police Department completed an alcohol compliance check and six patrons in the bar could not show proof they were of age to be present in the bar.

During the subsequent hearing, a camera showed the underage patrons entered the premise after presenting false identification and the charges against Mother’s were dropped.

However, false identifications being used at local bars is still an issue.

“It’s certainly not uncommon that we come across someone who is in possession of someone else’s fake ID,” said Lt. Brad Oyer from the Charleston Police Department.

In order to prevent this from occurring, businesses around town have different ways of checking identification.

Since the compliance check in February, Tammy Bell, the owner of Mother’s, said they have not changed the process of the doorman’s job because she is confident in her staff.

“They do the same job whether we think we are getting raided or not raided,” Bell said. “They have to be on their toes and know what they are looking for.”

Upon hiring a new employee, Bell has the individual complete a course called Tips Training.

“It’s a course for bartenders and door guys,” Bell said. “The owners pay for their workers to be trained through this program.”

Tips Training is a state program in which a police officer talks to the new employee about the different types of fake identifications.

“We also have an ID book at the door so they can compare the different out of town IDs,” Bell said. “Also, normally I’ll sit with them, since I have been doing this for nine years, the first couple times they work until they can do it themselves.”

David Hunter, the general manager at Mac’s Uptowner, 623 Monroe Ave., said he has no official training, but does have a specific manger to help the new employees learn how to spot fake identifications.

“We have a door guy manager who instructs and trains any of the new hires on how too look for fake IDs and the questions to ask if someone is trying to use a fake ID or somebody else’s ID to enter,” Hunter said. “To make sure they are accurate and not fake IDs, we rely on the door guy’s judgment; if they don’t think the picture or the information matches the person holding the ID then (the person) will not be allowed to enter or (the doorman) will ask for a second form of identification.”

Both licensed establishments have doormen carding at the door during busy hours, and prior to the police check on February 17, Mother’s had not had problems with the police compliance checks, Mac’s Uptowner has not had problems for a number of years.

“They perform routine checks all the time and are never successful,” Hunter said. “It has been years since the last time we served a minor and gotten into trouble for it.”

The licensed establishment can take the identification if the doorman believes it does not belong to the customer.

“We will only do that if there is absolute certainty that it is a fake,” Hunter said.

Once the identification is taken, the bar can pass it on to the police.

“We come across them when we do routine checks in the bars, and we also find fake IDs when we stop people on the street and talk to them. We get a lot of fake IDs that way,” Oyer said.

The charges can be brought against the one who was in possession of the identification along with the proper owner of the identification.

“The penalties can be a class in the diversions program through the city, or without that, they can be charged with it, and they can get their license suspended as well as the person who gives them their license to hold can look at a suspension from the Secretary of State’s office as well,” Oyer said.

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-7942 or at kzyskowski@eiu.edu.