There are few things scarier for underage students than being caught drinking or using a fake I.D.
But this Halloween, the Auburn Police Department and bar security staffs buckled in to protect citizens by reducing the use of alcohol and fake identification of underage goons and goblins.
For most bars downtown, Wednesday night is designated for drink specials such as $3 32 oz. mixed drinks at Quixote's and penny beers at Bourbon Street Bar.
Therefore, much more business is generated and the chance of underage drinking is higher, especially during the fall when more people visit from out of town.
"To be honest, we've had game days and other days of the night that are just as busy," said Sgt. Todd Hall of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Division. "There are a lot of kids out, but it's just another night."
Hall said although Halloween does bring an influx of people to the bar scene downtown, the number of patrolling ABC officers remains the same as a normal night.
However, the Auburn Police Department adjusts accordingly, according to Capt. James Tatum.
"We typically bring in extra officers for Halloween, just in case," Tatum said. "We don't foresee any problems but we want to protect the citizens of Auburn as well as the kids trick-or-treating, so we have several officers downtown and patrolling the neighborhoods."
Tatum said even though many more events and celebrations for the Halloween holiday occur, the Police Department did not see any more underage drinking activity or use of fake identification than usual.
"We had a pretty good night," Tatum said. "No different than any other fall Wednesday night in Auburn."
Tatum said those found using false identification, or a forged instrument in the third degree, may be issued a nontraffic citation that amounts to a court appearance or a fine being levied.
Also, when officers come across someone who has been drinking under age and is publicly intoxicated, the suspect is arrested for doing so.
"They are violating the law, so we definitely address it," Tatum said. "We have a zero tolerance for underage drinkers."
For example, an intoxicated underage customer in costume at Bourbon Street bar repeatedly attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages from multiple bartenders, according to Chris Singleton, a bartender of the top-level bar.
Singleton said he refused to sell alcohol to the customer several times because of the large, black X symbols on each of his hands indicating he was not of age.
Singleton said he later spotted the underage customer with a beer in his hand and asked the customer to leave after confiscating it.
"He got offended and refused, so the bouncers had to come remove him from the bar," Singleton said.
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