A strange ID check at a 21-plus event left at least one guest wondering if the men doing it were legitimate law enforcement or just two strangers in black clothing with a badge wallet.

In Washington, that kind of encounter can be real. At Seattle bars and events, liquor enforcement officers sometimes arrive in plain clothes, show a badge or commission card, and check IDs inside the venue rather than wear a marked uniform.

Those inspections are tied to alcohol enforcement, including checks for underage drinking and for a venue's compliance with the rules attached to its liquor license. They may involve checking the IDs of people who already have drinks or are standing in bar areas.

The uncertainty comes when guests cannot tell who is stopping them. A brief badge flash offers little reassurance without clear identification. Venue staff should be able to confirm the officers' identities and the purpose of their visit immediately if guests have not received that information.

Plainclothes checks are part of nightlife enforcement around Seattle. Their use does not remove a guest's reason to pause when the people demanding ID have not clearly identified themselves.