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Special Feature

Bar Watch

By Andrea Arandia

We are thrilled to spread the word about this great initiative by Fort Lauderdale’s Chief of Police, Rick Maglione.
BAR WATCH is the first program of its kind in the nation, and we would love to stand behind the Chief and show
our support by getting 100% participation from our Member Businesses and all local businesses.
Cool Fact: The training is free and all participating restaurants, bars and clubs get drug-testing coasters.

About the Bar other situations the offenders introduce
intoxicants to the victim without their
Watch Program consent or knowledge. We at the Police
Department feel this was something we
his month I would like to highlight a could prevent, and the Bar Watch Program
new initiative created by your police was born. Bar Watch is a dedicated
T department called Bar Watch. Soon partnership between your police
after I was appointed as your police chief, department and the entertainment
we changed the way we analyzed our destinations that serve alcoholic beverages
crime trends. Instead of trying to solve and within the City. The initial roll-out
prevent crimes through only traditional concentrated on the Downtown
methods, we started digging deeper into the Entertainment District, then migrateed east
trends to determine if there were underlying along Las Olas and will soon be on the
causes or circumstances that created the Beach, but the program will be expanded
environment for these more serious crimes to
occur. We figured if we could address the City-wide to any establishment that is
issues at this level, the more serious crimes Chief Rick Maglione interested in participating.
could be prevented. I then issued a directive Bar Watch includes specialized training for
that each district would identify the biggest the participating establishments’ staff on
‘problem’ in their areas of responsibility and implement a what to look for and how to properly intervene when
plan to resolve that issue. Once that problem was solved, concerns are observed. We conducted additional training
we move on to the next one until the ‘problems’ would for the police officers who work the off-duty details in and
become less and less serious.
around these establishments. Eye-catching signage was
When we analyzed sexual assaults, a common created for prominent display in restrooms that target both
denominator became obvious. Sexual assault, as one potential victims and potential offenders. We purchased
would typically think of it, the masked stranger lurking in a special drink coasters for distribution that act as a test to
dark place waiting to attack their victim, is determine if an individual’s drink has been
virtually a non-occurrence. There are very “spiked”. We provided special decals that
few of these types of crimes each year. The will be visible at the establishments’
majority of sexual assaults aside from the entrances so patrons will know that the
incidents occurring between individuals establishment is committed to ensuring their
known to each other, often start in an guests have an enjoyable and safe
establishment where alcoholic beverages are experience. Nothing replaces common sense
being consumed and/or illegal drugs become and drinking responsibly, but we are confident
involved. On occasion the potential victims this program will result in a reduction in sexual
voluntarily consume substances to an extreme that assaults where the victim and offender first meet at
their ability to use sound judgment is impaired; in a local watering hole.
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