Compliance check results in underage citations at four Cape bars

A recent compliance check resulted in citations for four local bars, police said.

During the June 1 check, Port Cape Girardeau, The Library and D’Ladiums served alcohol to a minor, while Independence Place was cited for allowing a person younger than 21 into the bar, Cape Girardeau police Lt. Brad Smith said Tuesday.

But Smith said many downtown bars, including some of those cited, have worked closely with police to curb underage drinking, and the compliance checks were a routine part of that effort.

“We work with the bars a lot, because we know, especially the bars in the downtown area, are in the market of college bars, and those are the toughest ones to work because kids are getting better and better with fake IDs,” Smith said. “When in doubt, if you think they’re not old enough, don’t let them in.”

Kathy Thompson, owner of The Library, said identifying fake IDs had been a top priority for her business long before June.

She said every year, her employees are trained to spot the latest counterfeit IDs, and the citation has led to more strict protocols.

“Now the door guys are not allowed to leave their stand, and if they do, they have to come tell a bartender,” Thompson said. “What we have done is I’ve bought thousands of wristbands. They’re in different colors. I went to Party City to see what they had in wristbands so that I would not purchase anything that Party City had, and now every person that walks up to that bar, if a bartender does not see a wristband, who they feel is 30 or below, they card them again.”

The wristbands, she said, were Smith’s idea.

“So it’s a second line of defense,” she said. “And it’s been working since that day.”

A request for comment from D’Ladiums was declined, and attempts to reach Port Cape and Independence Place were unsuccessful.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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