Fargo expands loan program for forensic ID scanners to curb fake‑ID use and underage drinking

FARGO, N.D. — Fargo public health officials, city legal staff and area police on Oct. 12 briefed liquor retailers and the public on a forensic ID scanner loan program aimed at detecting realistic fake IDs and reducing underage drinking.

The session, led by Robin Lickiselle, prevention coordinator at Fargo CAS Public Health, explained how the scanners work, how they fit into criminal and administrative enforcement, and where Fargo-area retailers can borrow devices for free. Presenters included a Fargo city prosecutor, the city commissioner who sits on the liquor control board, a North Dakota Behavioral Health Division prevention administrator who manages the state scanner program, and a sergeant from the Grand Forks Police Department who described local results.

Officials said the forensic scanners are an added tool for retail staff that read dozens of security features on a license, compare barcode data to front‑of‑card fields, and produce challenge questions for a patron. Tom Volk, prevention administrator for the North Dakota Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Division, said the machines perform a “40 to 50 forensic inspection” of an ID and typically return a pass/caution/fail readout. “If this gives you an alert … that is enough for a retailer to actually hold on to this ID and confiscate it and provide it to their law enforcement,” Volk said.

The city contract attorney who…