For Immediate Release
Release # 2007-099
New York City Council
City Hall, New York, NY 10007
(212) 788-7116

October 18th, 2007

NYPD and Nightlife Association Announce “Best Practices”
Council initiative leads to collaborative effort that promises to create new safety standards for nightlife industry

NEW YORK, NY – A year after the Nightlife Safety Summit was convened as one of a number of Council initiatives enacted in the wake of tragedies that rocked City nightlife establishments, the Council is pleased to announce that the NYPD and the New York Nightlife Association have agreed on a set of “Best Practices” for nightlife establishments.

The Council’s Nightlife Summit made it clear that the only way to improve safety in and around clubs, lounges and bars was to establish a dialogue between all the stakeholders. That idea led to the creation of a working group, comprised of representatives from the NYPD and nightlife leadership, that has met regularly over the past year.

The “Best Practices” will:
• Improve nightlife safety and security operations
• Provide clear guidelines for employees of an establishment in the event of a serious incident or emergency
• Deter underage drinking through the implementation of ID scanning devices
• Clarify establishment guidelines for patrons and enhance police/community relations through increased communication.

“The Best Practices for New York City’s nightlife establishments will ensure that we continue to have one of the safest cities in the world, both before and after dark,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “These recommendations provide clear guidelines for both nightlife establishments and the NYPD that will ultimately lead to safer standards for clubs, bars and lounges. I want to thank the NYPD and New York Nightlife Association for acting on the Council’s request and finding common ground.”

“The adoption of best practices is a fitting tribute to the memories of Imette St. Guillen and Jennifer Moore,” said Police Commissioner Raymond W, Kelly. “The establishment of best practices with the banking industry helped us combat a major spike in bank robberies. We hope that a similar program, with industry support, can help reduce crime associated with the nightlife industry. Best practices do not guarantee that police will never be called to a bar or club because of a crime or disorderly condition. But we believe that nightlife establishments which put best practices into effect will find that they will suffer fewer problems, and that their personnel will be better prepared to deal with incidents as they occur.”

Since February of 2006, the Council has made it a priority to make Nightlife as safe as possible. In that time period, 4 pieces of legislation aimed at improving the quality and safety of New York City nightlife have been enacted:

• Ensuring that security personnel employed by bars and clubs are properly licensed and trained
• Calling for “problem clubs” to hire independent monitors in lieu of license suspension or revocation
• Requiring certain clubs to install video surveillance at entrances and exits
• Cracking down on premises used for the production and sale of fake Ids

“I want to applaud the Speaker for her leadership on this issue and to congratulate the NYPD and the Nightlife Association for their hard work in creating these new guidelines,” stated Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Leroy Comrie. “I believe that this is a win-win for all involved which will ensure the safety of nightlife patrons and the success of a vital part of our City's economic engine. It is a testament to how something good can come from a tragedy, when local community and business leaders come together to find viable solutions.”

“Nightlife safety is not just the responsibility of club owners, but club patrons, parents, the City and everyone in between,” said Peter F. Vallone Jr., Chairman of the Public Safety Committee. “Going to a bar may be fun, but keeping a million bar goers safe every night is hard work, and these guidelines are a result of exactly that.”

“The Nightlife Summit provided the opportunity for all those concerned with safe and vibrant nightlife in New York City to discuss innovative ways to keep it that way,” said Council Member Gale Brewer. “I applaud everyone for sticking with the spirit of that meeting and coming up with these ‘Best Practices’ that are sure to increase safety at our nightlife establishments.”

Councilwoman Melinda Katz stated, “This collaborate effort between law enforcement, club owners and community members is a great step in assuring a safe environment for people to enjoy the exciting New York City nightlife.”