The person in charge of checking identification at a bar has the power to grant or deny entrance to that establishment, and the pressure is on them to keep underage people out.

Ames Police Officer Tom Oxley said it is important for bars to take ID checking seriously because their liquor licenses depend on it.

The City Council takes into account how strict a bar is with IDs when it is time for renewal of their liquor license, Oxley said.

If the Council can see that multiple underage people have been caught at certain bars, and those bars have not turned in any IDs, it can put that bar on probation, or the Council can choose not to renew the bar’s license, Oxley said.

Steve Rohrer, senior in marketing, works at Cy’s Roost, and said there are multiple risks involved if someone underage were to be allowed into the bar.

“There is a fine for the door guy, a fine for every bartender who served that person and a fine for the actual establishment,” Rohrer said.

“And after so many of those, we lose our liquor license.”

State law gives the person checking IDs the right to seize any ID in good faith if he or she thinks it’s fake or a false representation. Checkers are protected criminally and civilly for their actions.

One concern bargoers might have is that their valid ID may be taken or won’t be accepted because of anything from a new hairstyle to weight loss.

Ames Police Officer Tom Oxley said a person 21 or older getting his or her real ID taken is not something that happens very often. He said he couldn’t believe that someone would leave and let the bar keep his or her valid ID. If a person leaves, the ID probably belongs to that person’s friend, he said.

“I have no sympathy if someone calls Monday and wants us to get their ID back,” Oxley said. “It’s very unlikely the person will leave if it is really them.”

Shannon Welch, junior in pre-business, was a doorman at Cy’s Roost, 121 Welch Ave., before becoming a bartender. He said the only way to get your ID back from Cy’s is to have the Ames Police Department come get it for you.

“We don’t like to get too involved. Occasionally when someone gets their real ID taken, we’ll get involved, but rarely,” said Ames Police Sgt. Brian Braymen.

It is not the police department’s job to go and confirm IDs, but when the bars call with a question or someone claims their valid ID has been taken, the police are willing to go and check on the situation, Oxley said.

In the event that someone’s real ID is taken, he said, they would ask a series of questions after reviewing the picture and the physical description to verify the person’s identity.

“Everyone learns their own routine of questions to ask,” Oxley said. “We can check to see how many duplicates have been made and how many tickets you’ve had. These are things you should know if the ID really belongs to you.”

Oxley teaches a training class for anyone who works at an establishment that sells alcohol.

“Training goes over alcohol laws and tobacco laws, and how to stay out of trouble with the law, because ignorance is no excuse,” Oxley said. “We do not require the class, but most employers do.”

Employees at People’s Bar and Grill, 2428 Lincoln Way, Mickey’s Irish Pub, 109 Welch Ave., and Cy’s Roost are all required by management to take the class.

“They showed us fake IDs and taught us how to read fakes and what to look for in fakes,” Welch said.

Mike Brown, manager of People’s, said he is aware that weight and hair color and style are things that can change. He looks at eyes, chin, nose and facial structure and other features that generally stay the same.

Oxley said it’s important to remember that most people show real IDs that misrepresent who they are. He said 95 percent are real IDs that just don’t belong to that person.

“We collect several hundred [IDs] a year. It all depends on the ability of the doorman,” Braymen said.

Most bars own the “I.D. Checking Guide, 2004.” This is a time-sensitive book that is renewed each year. Every valid driver’s license format is shown in actual size and full color for all 50 states and the 10 Canadian provinces, according to the book’s Web site. It also shows security features of IDs. Bars have access to this book, and it is important that they use it because most states have more than one acceptable form of ID, Oxley said.

Mickey’s keeps a copy of this book right next to the person checking IDs.

When checking IDs at the door, Welch said first he looks at the obvious: birth date, height, weight, the date it was issued, and if it’s expired.

“I usually ask for a second form of ID if it seems suspicious,” Welch said.

Most often, credit cards or student IDs are acceptable as a second form of ID.

Some bars offer incentives to their employees for taking IDs.

“After so many months [at Cy’s Roost], whoever gets the most fake IDs in a certain amount of time will get a $50 bar tab,” Welch said.

Matt Gervais, senior in management, is a doorman at Mickey’s. He said the establishment collects roughly five to 10 IDs in a week.

“We catch a good percentage of people using fakes,” Gervais said. “I definitely want to take it. If I screw up, I lose my job.”