News Article: November 24, 2005
Section: News and Features
Outlet: The Voice
Byline: Marshall, Jennifer
Title: Clubs crack down on I.D.
Page: 2
Date: 2005-11-24
The leader of a club owner’s lobby group is calling for mandatory identification scanners in all bars following a recent gang-related shooting at a Burnaby nightclub.
BarWatch Vice-Chair, Vance Campbell, said making I.D. scanners compulsory would cut down on the gang violence incidents such as the shooting of two men earlier this month in the scanner- free Burnaby Shark Club.
Campbell said it costs about $3,500 for the new equipment, the same as a metal detector. When people enter a club, their I.D. is swiped through the machine and their name, driver’s licence number, sex and picture are recorded.
Bar managers do not have access to the information once it is in the computer software, but police may subpoena the contents of the machine to use in a criminal investigation.
If the patron does anything illegal, such as assault another patron, that information can be entered into the scanner so a warning flashes next time that person’s identification is swiped.
Campbell said it is a more effective tool than metal detectors.
“Metal detectors don’t detect plastic guns, they don’t detect plastic knives, and they’re very invasive,” he said. “The scanner is the same technology you’d find at an ATM machine.”
He said the equipment makes bar patrons more accountable for their actions inside the bars.
“Our responsibility as operators of bars is to ensure a safe environment for our patrons,” Campbell said.
Greg Bell, owner of the Wild Coyote nightclub on Marine Drive, said he decided to buy the security scanner equipment two years ago to ensure a safe environment for his clients. He said the software is very effective because people know their personal information has been recorded.
Jaimie Rogers, general manager of the Stone Temple Nightclub on Granville Street, said his bar has been using the I.D. scanners for about a year.
“It’s not only helped me out with violence, but also with fake I.D.s,” Rogers said. “It’s such a small percentage of club-goers that cause the problems.”
But Langara students were divided on the issue of implementing mandatory identification scanners.
“I think it’s a horrible idea,” said Freddie Kabok, a 23-year-old English student at Langara who has been
kicked out of The Pit Pub at UBC for smashing glasses.
“It takes away that liberal feeling of sort of going there and letting go. I know why they’re doing it, but at the same time a bar is a sacred place where people shouldn’t be judged by their actions,” Kabok said.
But Brenda Seng, an international business student, doesn’t have a problem with the I.D. scanners and believes people attending bars deserve more security and protection especially since recent shootings.
“They’re more concerned about the majority of people in a club.” Seng said.