Downtown Springfield bars crack down on fake IDs ahead of Halloween weekend

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -Springfield Police cited eight minors for possession of alcohol and issued one citation for supplying alcohol to minors after a focused enforcement in the downtown area earlier this month.

With Halloween celebrations kicking off, downtown bars say they are preparing for a busy weekend.

John Chace, owner of The Dive on Patton, credits his staff with using various techniques to crack down on fake IDs and prevent underage drinking.

“The college kids will all talk. And they will tell each other, ‘Hey, don’t go to DOP’. Damien will take your ID,” Chace said. “That’s just all there is to it.”

Megan Miller, who visits Chace’s bar and plans to go out for the Halloween weekend, says that while she hasn’t seen IDs getting confiscated, she notes there is always a line to get in on weekends.

“Saturday nights and sometimes it can get pretty packed, and there will be a line outside just from people waiting to get their IDs checked to be able to be let in,” Miller said.

Chace said he plans to have added security for Halloween, saying costumes will be an added challenge for bouncers.

“The fact that there’s so much face paint and masks and Halloween costumes,” Chace said. “It’s harder to see the picture on their ID and match it up with the person themselves and everything.”

Police said they are also gearing up for that weekend downtown.

“There will be an additional police presence down in that area just because we do expect a larger crowd for the Halloween pub crawl,” said Lieutenant Jason Copley with Springfield PD.

Police warn people under 21 found with a fake ID could be charged, pay a hefty fine, and could serve up to a year of jail time in Missouri.

For bar owners like Chace, he has one warning for underage drinkers:

“Don’t try it. You show it, we take it,” Chace said. “Just that simple. Got it even posted out there as one of the rules. No fake IDs.”

Police are urging people going out to bars for Halloween to stay aware, stay in a group, and have a plan for getting home safely.

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