Security at San Antonio bars working hard to spot fake IDs

SAN ANTONIO – The use of fake IDs seems to be inevitable.

“On Saturdays, mostly on the weekend with college kids,” said Jose Alvarado, head of security at a bar on the St. Mary’s strip, referring to the people who usually use fake IDs.

It’s particularly more frequent for bars located near college campuses.

Last Saturday alone, Alvarado said they discovered about eight or nine fake IDs.

While working on the strip, Alvarado notices fake ID usage correlates with college schedules.

“Right around November when the kids started getting released out of school, like the holidays. It has it got progressively worse since probably November, December,” Alvarado said.

It’s an issue not unique to our city. Chris Porter with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) said it happens in other locations with colleges and universities as well.

“A number of younger people, many of whom are underage, might be trying to use a false ID to attempt to purchase alcohol. The good news is many bars are aware of the problem,” Porter said.

That’s why the bar Alvarado works at and others on the strip look out for one another.

“If you see them, you can make that call if you want to let them in or not. Up at your bar. But this is the issue that we had here,” Alvarado said.

Porter said the training bar security and bartenders receive through TABC allows them to stop 90% of fake ID usage from being successful.

Part of that training includes closely examining each ID hands-on.

Alvarado also uses a UV light on the back of the ID.

“We do check. There is a box here on the back that does glow in the dark with your face and also shows your actual birthdate,” Alvarado said.

While the use of fake IDs isn’t uncommon, Alvarado and Porter hope minors understand it is not a victimless crime.

“Not only am I at fault here, but the whole bar gets shut down. Then we put people out of work, you know, and people are still gotta eat,” Alvarado said.

“Someone who is underage and those people go out, and they themselves may not face an injury, but they do take the life of someone who would otherwise have probably continued living,” Porter said.

There is some protection for bars, according to Porter. As long as the ID presented has accurate information, a photo of the person attempting to use it and closely resembles a real government-issued ID, the bar and bartender will not face a fine.

If someone knowingly sells to a minor, there are consequences for the individual and the business.

“[A] business selling alcohol to a minor -- that is a Class A misdemeanor for the individual who actually conducts the sales. That person could face up to a year in jail and a fine of anywhere between $500 to $4,000. For the bar itself, that could face penalties from TABC up to and including a suspension of their license to sell alcohol,” Porter said.

As far as penalties for someone attempting to use a fake ID, Porter said, “purchasing alcohol with a fraudulent ID is a Class C misdemeanor. And so the person that is accused of doing that, they’re going to be convicted in court. They could face a fine up to $500.”