San Jose Downtown Association

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SoFA District Closing Procedure

SoFA District Staggered Closing Procedure

Presented by SoFA District business owners through the San Jose Downtown Association to the City Manager and San Jose Police Department April 2006

This is intended to be a pilot program for the SoFA district only.

This proposal is for a staggered closing procedure in the district not for extended operating hours. A model similar to this one has been successful in Modesto, CA.

Intention is to disburse smaller groups of patrons over a longer period of time to eliminate the volatile situation that is sometimes created by forcing large numbers of patron from different clubs to leave at the same time and usually during a very short period of time. Patrons are not always ready to leave and confrontations have occurred.

Business owners are willing to contribute financially to hire private security and/or off-duty officers for the neighborhood to help disburse nightclub patrons. This creates a true public/private cooperative.

Three-fold objective:

Benefit to business

-Dispersal over a 90-minute period rather than a 30-minute period makes it easier to meet patrons needs. Allows for improved customer service.

-Potential to attract different customer profile.

-Fewer opportunities for patrons to exit into an environment of hostility. Not all 3,500 club patrons will be on the street at the same time.

-District not viewed as a “crime scene” or “war zone” on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at closing with patrol cars parked in the middle of the street and intersections and an aggressive on-duty police presence.

Benefit to community

-Reduction in noise levels as a result of 500 to 800 patrons on the street at one time vs. 3,500 patrons.

-Improved “mix” of customers in SoFA district.

-Less police roadblocks and presence making better street access.

-Improved perception of downtown safety.

-Meets a “top priority” of the community as identified in the SoFA Strategic Development Plan developed by community stakeholders in 2002 and accepted by the City Council in 2003.

Benefit to SJPD

-Potential reduction in the amount of force necessary to move patrons out of the district because they are now leaving on their own volition and when they are more ready to leave.

-Reduction or redeployment of officers from intersection of First and San Salvador into the parking lots/garages where majority of incidents occur once the clubs have let out.

Current SJPD staffing levels:
Thursdays – 4 officers and 1 sergeant
Fridays/Saturdays – 6-8 officers and 1 sergeant

Proposed SoFA District Staggered Closing Procedures

Timing	Current Procedure	Proposed Procedure
Every Friday and Saturday night 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.		-Two uniformed, armed private security guards or secondary employment PD officers (paid for by business owners) to patrol intersection at First and San Salvador - Two uniformed, armed private security guard or secondary employment PD officers to patrol parking lots at First and San Salvador and next to California Theatre and Valley Title parking lot
1:30 a.m.	Last call for all bars	Last call for all bars
1:45 a.m.	Lights on in all bars	-Lights on in bar #1 (Scores), patrons escorted out of establishment (Occ. 875) -Four police officers stationed at intersection on First and San Salvador -Scores staff escorts people out of bar and directs them to their cars -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers in intersection of First and San Salvador help to escort patrons to their cars - Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers patrolling parking lots
2 a.m.	-All bar patrons out of bars at the same time (Total Occ.3,507 – includes SoFA Lounge and South First Billiards) -Owners close doors -PD left to handle incidents on the street	-Lights on in bar #2 (Agenda) (Occ. 700) -No new admissions after 2 a.m. to any establishments on the street
2:15 a.m.		-80% of patrons from bar #1 gone -Patrons escorted out of bar #2 (Agenda) -Agenda staff escorts people out of bar and directs them to parking lots -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers in intersection of First and San Salvador help to escort patrons to their cars -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers patrolling parking lots
2:20 a.m.		Lights on in bars #3 and #4 (Angels, Occ. 475 and SoFA Lounge, Occ. 284)
2:30 a.m.		-80% of patrons from bar #2 gone -Patrons escorted out of bars #3 and #4 (Angels and SoFA Lounge) -Angels staff escorts patrons out of bar and directs them to parking lots -SoFA Lounge staff escorts patrons out of bar and directs them to parking lots -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers in intersection of First and San Salvador help to escort patrons to their cars -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers patrolling parking lots
2:40 a.m.		-Lights on in bar #5 and #6 (Glo, Occ. 883 and South First Billiards, Occ. 290) –Glo patrons exit from the front door onto First Street and back door directly into the surface parking lot -Glo staff escorts patrons out of bar and directs them to parking lots -South First Billiards staff escorts patrons out of establishment -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers in intersection of First and San Salvador help to escort patrons to their cars -Two uniformed, armed private security or secondary employment PD officers patrolling parking lots
3 a.m.		Patrons cleared out of all bars in the district

NOTE: Each participating bar will provide a detailed and specific security plan on their closing procedure – how they propose to disburse their patrons, number of staff, etc. to SJPD for review and approval.

April 2006