This article is part three of a three-part series about underage drinking.
New programs are making it harder for minors to fake out police, bartenders and liquor-store employees with false IDs.
Police are working to combat the illegal purchase and consumption of alcohol by minors by bringing in new programs. Officer Peter Shin of the Boston University Police Department said that the “Cops in Shops” program is a popular program throughout the country, and specifically in Massachusetts.
The program, Shin said, puts police officers undercover in liquor stores in order to catch or deter minors from buying alcohol illegally or to stop legal persons from buying alcohol for minors.
Grocery and liquor stores are also bringing in scanners to attempt to counteract the use of fake IDs by students.
“It [the ID scanner] pays for itself,” according to IDscanner.com, which sells and promotes the use of ID scanners by nightclubs, bars and liquor stores.
The website explains that the use of the scanner will prevent the loss of thousands of dollars to stores and clubs in legal fees and legal action against the stores.
Kelly Harvey, who works at Reservoir Wines & Spirits in Brighton, said that the company has been using ID scanners for years now.
“We get a fair amount of students from the local colleges trying to get alcohol with fake IDs,” Harvey said.
She said the scanner checks the picture, barcode and markings to make sure all information is legitimate and produces results immediately.
The ID-scanning system, Harvey said, uses what is called “advanced ID protection” to distinguish between fake and real IDs, and is easy to use.
Stores and police work together when fake IDs are used or confiscated. Usually, Shin said, IDs are simply confiscated by the stores. In some occasions the IDs are taken and the store files an affidavit, which is sent to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, police departments and schools, he said.
“Most of the time we just confiscate the fake IDs,” Harvey said. “But scanning companies or the police come in and collect the fake IDs so they can keep up with new types and techniques for fake IDs.”
BU students said that alcohol, even for minors, is always in reach.
“Almost half of my friends have fake IDs, and someone always knows a friend who’s 21 who will buy for us when we ask,” said College of Arts and Sciences freshman Kris, who asked to keep his last name anonymous.
Although minors use fake IDs in stores to buy alcohol, Kris said another common practice is the use of a legal friend or sibling who can buy alcohol for them. Minors will give older friends their money to an older friend who will then purchase the alcohol legally, with an added financial incentive.
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