HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-1998 ArticlesThe Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sat., Aug. 1, 1998
Some bar owners say police more polite now �
Gazette Johnson County Bureau
IOWA CITY — Some down-
town bar owners say police offi-
cers are more polite when
checking bars for underage
drinkers than they have been in
the past.
Two representatives of the
downtown bar owners met with
Assistant City Manager Dale
Helling, Police Chief R.J. Win-
kelhake and Capt. Pat Harney
earlier this month as part of
ongoing discussions about how
the police and bar owners can
work together better to combat
underage drinking.
01011
IOWA CITY
In addition to saying that offi-
cers have "softened their ap-
proach," a memo from Helling
said that bar representatives
agreed with Winkelhake that re-
instatement of the practice of
allowing off -duty officers to
check identifIcation in bars or
restaurants was a liability to the
department.
Bar owners still would like
the Police Department to lower
the cost of the bartender educa-
tion it provides to $10 per per-
son. Currently bar owners pay
$25 apiece for employees to par—.
ticipate in the TIPS program,
which stands for Training in
Intervention Procedures for,
Servers of alcohol.
Winkelhake said he will look"
at ways to reduce the cost,
according to Helling's memo.
Conflict between bar owners
and the police erupted after a,
massive January sweep by po-
lice looking for underage drink-,
ers in area bars.
Another meeting between the
city and the bar owners is
planned for mid -September.