Yo, I got a fake ID though!

Fake IDs are something that isn't new to the city of La Crosse. Housing three colleges within one city is bound to show some effects in the downtown lifestyle.  A recent increase of false identification has local cops and popular bars cracking down.

The combination of the easy access to obtaining fake IDs and the consequences of being caught with one is deadly, according to the City of  La Crosse Police Department. La Crosse police officer Andrew Dittman says there are two forms of false identification.

 One is a completely fabricated ID card that is either ordered online or by a production company.  The second form is a real person's driver's license that someone who is of age gives to a minor when they get a new ID.  Both of these forms of fake ID are equally illegal and can come with additional penalties for the supplier.

 "We normally see most fake IDs confiscated when the user has obtained it from an Internet site, but we sometimes see cases where an older sibling gives a younger one an out-dated ID," Dittman said. There are  additional consequences for being caught with this second type of ID.

"Once confiscated, we contact the DOT of Wisconsin and cancel out the supplier's ID. Then they have to petition for a new ID and explain to the DOT why they got their license revoked. Following the petition, the supplier then would have to retake their driver's test," said Dittman.

The common punishment for a fake ID is an ordnance citation $227 and on more than one citation it turns into a fine of an additional $794.

 "When an establishment finds a fake ID, they hand them over to the city police where they are stored. Once enough IDs are collected they mass shred the IDs and dispose of them," Dittman said.

Last year Dittman said they shredded 850 IDs in the La Crosse Police Department alone. Many students on campus have contributed to the large numbers of confiscated IDs, including a UW-L junior who wishes to remain anonymous.

"Half of my friends have fakes, along with myself, and it is always so easy to get them anywhere that I don't really feel like it's something that's second guessed at bars," said this UW-L student.

According to Dittman, that's about to change soon due to police involvement with the local taverns in the area.  Most bars located downtown do not have new electronic scanners like bigger cities do.

But the naked eye can be just as trained as technology thanks to the La Crosse City Police Department, which offers free services to all taverns, bars and pubs. This training promotes responsible beverage servers by training them to look for flaws in fake ID production.

Besides relying on human verification, some local bars also use ID scanning technology. The scanners work by utilizing advanced applications that read printed information on the ID and check for accurate security patterns including barcodes, magnetic strips, holograms and color combinations. If patterns are incorrect, the scanner will alert the operator.

La Crosse police officer Andrew Gavrilos said that the scanners are, "a great use of technology if they are maintained. They are an excellent tool to check for fake ID's, however we want to stress that the advancement should not replace common sense."

Gavrilos added that the scanners do not match the picture on the ID to the face of the cardholder so it is still essential to make sure the person holding the ID is indeed who they say they are.