NYPD Issues Nightlife Guidelines (Nightlife News)

Nightlife News for October 19th

Clubs Begin Work with City to Improve Security Conditions (Al Baker- New York Times)
The recent deaths of two club patrons in the past year is being used as the catalyst for new cooperation between the police department and the New York Nightlife Association. Yesterday, in a joint statement the two groups announced 58 measures that are intended to make clubs safer for patrons and give club owners incentive to call the police if trouble occurs.

Nightlife spots have been reluctant to call the police in the past because they didn’t want to have to deal with the disorderly premises citations that would interfere with their liquor licenses.

What does this mean to you the next time you go out? There might be more security guards, more cameras, metal detectors, ID scanning machines and more chances that cops will show up if something happens. You can also expect higher costs. The club owners are business people first. If they have to pay for more security, we have to pay for more security. But paying a little more for a drink is preferable to dead club kids in the street or clubs shut down all over the city. (Additional Coverage from Justin Silverman AM New York)

Lawmakers call for a fake ID crackdown (Brandon Bain- Newsday)
At the same time that the NYPD is developing guidelines for club security, state lawmakers are pushing to change the dram shop laws to increase penalties for the people who sell fake ID’s.

It is estimated that 16% of the alcohol consumed in New York State is consumed by minors. These minors use fake ID to get into bars and buy drinks. The law in place since 1921 hold the bartender and the bar owner liable for any injury or damage resulting from underage drinking, but the person who created the fake ID went largely unpunished.

Removing some of the burden from bartenders in this scenario makes sense, since even a trained bartender can have trouble verifying age on a busy Saturday night. Besides I’d like the chance to drink that 16% of statewide alcohol without losing it to some kid…(Additional Coverage: from Brian Howard : Journal News and Mark Siesel: New York Legal Blog )