Young cop faces probe over bar ID claim

Police are investigating claims that an off-duty officer used his official ID to allow drinkers who may have been under-age into a bar for his girlfriend's 21st birthday.

About eight officers went to The Grange on Hurstmere Rd in Takapuna on Saturday to check party-goers' IDs after worried staff called them.

Their presence caused several guests, who may have been under-age, to leave the bar.

Police are investigating the young officer, believed to be a constable, who works in a different part of Auckland.

Blair Fergus, who owns The Grange bars in Takapuna and Ponsonby, said the man "started flashing his badge around in the bar when he realised a lot of the girls were getting IDed at the door by the bouncer".

"But a lot of them didn't have any ID so that's why he wasn't letting them in ... And then it just got out of hand and he was out there flashing his badge, saying to the bouncer, 'Let them in, I'm an off-duty cop'."

The bouncer "got a bit pissed off with that" so called the police, who arrived about 9.30pm.

"The young guy was taken away by the sergeant and had a hard word given to him.

"I'm not sure what that led to ... He was pushing his weight around and all we were doing was abiding by the law.

"I guess for the police it's not a good look that some young guy decided he could push his weight around and be The Man."

Venue manager Dan Watson said about eight other officers came into the bar and started checking party guests, but they did not find anyone under age.

"When the police started walking in, most people left."

The off-duty officer stayed at the party until it finished about midnight.

Mr Watson said that when he took the booking for the function, he told organisers that under liquor licensing rules, children were allowed in the bar if supervised by their parents, but it was "house policy" that they left about 9.30pm.

Any teenagers at the party were most probably not supervised by their parents, he said, and "that was the argument that security was having".

The bouncer, Lenny Bradley, said he turned away a handful of under-age guests when the party started about 8pm but, at the off-duty officer's request, he did not check the IDs of about 15 teenagers.

He said the man also "started harassing" bar staff who were asking for ID before serving guests alcohol.

"They came and told me about it. We were considering whether to close the bar down.

"Our policy is, if you don't have ID, you don't come into the bar, because we could get done for it. And they didn't have any ID."

North Shore area commander Inspector Les Paterson said police were looking into the matter.

"We will get to the bottom of it ... I can confirm there was an off-duty officer at the party from another part of Auckland."

Mr Paterson said if the accusation was proved to be true, it could be the subject of an internal investigation under the police code of conduct.

He urged any witnesses to come forward.