Meetings Scheduled on Proposed Nightclub Ordinance

Police Department - July 19, 2007
Contact: Bill Cobb 773-7802

The Police Department will hold a meeting Tuesday night, July 24, to collect public opinion on the proposed nightlife ordinance. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Winston Room at LJVM Coliseum, 2825 University Parkway. A separate meeting for bar and club owners will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, July 23, also in the Winston Room.

The nightclub ordinance balances the city’s interest in having a vibrant nightclub entertainment community with the important need for citizens to feel safe in their own community. The police department’s violence reduction program is a key part of the city’s overall plan to enhance nightclub safety. Police officers will train nightclub owners, employees, and event promoters to recognize frequently occurring crimes and to contact police. The program also contains some guidance on how club owners and event promoters can prevent criminal activity from occurring. The violence reduction program seeks to enhance cooperation between nightclubs, promoters, and police to achieve a safe, vibrant nightlife in the community.

After attending the violence reduction program, any nightclub that operates in a safe manner by calling the police and agreeing to prosecute people who commit crimes in their nightclubs will have no specific security requirements. Nightclubs that do not work with the Police Department and have unsafe business establishments will be required to provide security during certain times. Further, the ordinance requires all nightclubs to promptly clean up the trash created in areas surrounding the bar or club.

Many nightclub entertainment promoters will also be subject to the ordinance, although it exempts nonprofit events. Promoters in venues admitting fewer than 100 people will not be required to provide security, and a promoter with a proven track record as a safe promoter will also be exempt from the security requirements. This record can be established by events presented before or after the proposed ordinance’s effective date of December 1, 2007.

An online questionnaire on the city Web site solicits constructive suggestions to improve the ordinance.

For more information call Lt. Bill Cobb at 773-7802.

Nightclub Ordinance information