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Nightspots join fake ID crackdown By Jonel Aleccia Three of the Rogue Valley�s hottest nightspots have joined with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission in a project that has cracked down on the use of fake identification by minors. Since September, OLCC inspector Rich Miller has seized 56 IDs used by minors attempting to get into Ground Zero and The Metropolitan in Medford and the Kat Wok in Ashland. The clubs, which serve alcohol, are off-limits to people under 21. Owners and managers of the clubs are being honored today at a ceremony organized by Southern Oregon Drug Awareness and the Oregon Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. "All of us want to keep alcohol out of the hands of kids," said Stephanie Soares Pump, executive director of SODA. "This partnership is proof that when we take a stand and work together, we make a difference." The ID seizures yielded 14 citations and a dozen driver�s license suspensions, but more important, they increased awareness at clubs and in the community about the consequences of misrepresentation. Raising the awareness that using or allowing the use of fake identification by minors is illegal is the point of a project organized by Miller and adopted by the OLCC. With only 25 OLCC inspectors for 10,000 licensed establishments in Oregon, the agency is enlisting the help of bar and tavern owners to detect intrusions by minors. "For me, I think the No. 1 issue is liability," says Bruce Miller, general manager of the Metropolitan Club at the Reston Hotel in Medford. Mark Tangemen, owner of Kat Wok, agrees. "It�s one of those things: If you�re not 21, you can�t come in," he says. "We do turn away a number of customers, and unfortunately, they do go elsewhere." Fines for serving minors are steep. The first violation costs $1,650, and it goes up to nearly $5,000 for the next offense. Repeat violations can cost bar or tavern owners their liquor licenses. Rich Miller�s program combines training with intervention techniques and on-site supervision. He demonstrates the use of "The Identifier," a device that scans bar codes and magnetic strips on IDs, preventing falsification. Miller advises bar staff about detecting forged IDs, typically mail-order fakes available for $50 to $250 by mail or the Internet. He also offers advice about detecting the leading type of misrepresented ID: using another person�s license. Three-quarters of the minors caught since September attempted to use someone else�s ID, Miller said. Intercepting such posers often requires only a sharp eye and a few pointed questions. "It can be as simple as asking, �What�s your middle name?�" he says. Young people often don�t realize that attempting to gain entry to a bar is a crime. Last year, OLCC agents cited 277 minors for misrepresenting their age. A conviction on a misdemeanor charge could result in 30 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. Other crimes could include trespass, possession of a forged device, using an invalid license, permitting misuse of a license or minor in possession of alcohol. Part of Miller�s efforts have been aimed at influencing the district attorney�s office to impose stricter penalties for age misrepresentation or furnishing false IDs. As a result, local judges have agreed to impose a fine of $250 for first-time offenses, with the option to waive $150 of the fee if the minor attends an eight-hour alcohol information class. "We�d like to see tougher penalties," says Michael Thornicroft, Jackson County deputy district attorney. "But the judges agreed that with first-time offenders, we�ll give you a break on this crime and an incentive to go for alcohol education classes." Since Miller�s program began, Thornicroft has seen a marked increase in the number of minors cited for using fake IDs. The point isn�t simply punishment, Miller stresses. "The idea is not to cite as many people as possible. It�s to raise awareness," he says. "We know that drinking and driving is a leading killer of teenagers year after year. This is aimed at that." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.