Businesses report success using forensic ID scanners; device available free to local retailers

At the Sept. 1 Liquor Control Board meeting, a group from North Dakota State University and local retailers described how forensic ID scanners have reduced argument and helped cashiers spot invalid identification. One business representative told the board about an incident the Friday before Labor Day in which a professionally dressed woman presented an ID for three bottles of spirits and the clerk used a forensic scanner that immediately displayed a large circle with a line through it and reasons the ID was invalid; the customer then left the store. The clerk said the scanner’s visual indication made refusal straightforward and reduced confrontation. A staff speaker said the scanners are free and available in inventory to local businesses to try. He recommended them as a supplemental tool to trained employees and not a replacement for staff judgment. Board members thanked the visitors and noted that additional tools for ID verification can help licensed sellers comply with state law and reduce underage sales. — This article is based on remarks and an anecdote reported at the Liquor Control Board meeting.