NORFOLK, Va - The Downtown Norfolk Civic League held a meeting where interim police Chief Michael Goldsmith spoke about how police are addressing crime downtown. City council members also addressed their concerns about downtown nightlife.
Chief Goldsmith says police are stepping up patrol on the weekends as a way to prevent crime here in the vibrant downtown area.
"On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, we’ve got extra folks to patrol between 7 in the evening and 3 o'clock in the morning," Goldsmith said.
The Downtown Norfolk Civic League wants bars and restaurants downtown to close at midnight. This comes after the latest shooting downtown happened in front of Legacy Restaurant and Lounge where four people were shot including a Norfolk Sheriff's Deputy.
"Will the city dial back the 2 am to midnight and everyone would have to close at midnight? I personally still support that. I know many of the shootings have taken place after midnight, not before midnight so the data bears out," Councilwoman Courtney Doyle said.
Councilwoman Doyle says she plans to discuss that with her colleagues on the city council. Councilwoman Andria McClellan says she doesn’t want to crack down too hard on businesses.
"We have to be very careful about is not to be so heavy-handed that we hurt everybody. I think what you see is we’re going to take a very universal approach very likely. We don’t want there to be any concerns that we’re doing this for one person and not another," Councilwoman McClellan said.
Some who frequent downtown would like for bars and restaurants to stay open past midnight.
"As someone who comes that here on the weekends, and weeknights to hang out with my buddies. If they close at midnight how are you supposed to have any fun after work," one downtown visitor said.
Some believe it will dismantle the downtown nightlife.
"It’s upsetting. I don’t think bars closing early is going to do anything, especially two hours. If people choose violence, they're going to choose violence," another downtown visitor said.
"There’s a question about the bottle service," a civic league member said in the meeting. "We’re looking into that. We’re working with ABC right now to determine the legality of that. We’re going to take a hard look at that," Councilwoman McClellan said.
Some members of the civic league want to do away with allowing businesses to do bottle service.
"You can purchase an entire bottle, there are typically the bottle girls that bring it to you and it brings a competitive environment of who’s the biggest baller, who has the most money. It needs to be taken out of the culture," Charles Rasputin, the creative director for the Slowdive Gallery said.
