City of Atlanta trains nightlife workers on public safety

The training was organized by the city’s Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife, a division created by Mayor Andre Dickens when he first took office to support industries that play a major role in supporting of the city’s economy.

Longtime industry members say that once patrons pass through security at nightlife venues, they are the last line of defense in an emergency, making it crucial to be constantly aware of your surroundings .

“I prepare my staff by telling them, ‘If you see something, say something,'” said Leo de Rivera, beverage director at Bar Diver.

“Just be aware, because no matter how safe everything seems and may be, the best safety you can have is to look around and be prepared,” he said.

The city’s training is specifically designed for bartenders, security, venue owners and staff to better prepare Atlanta’s nightlife industry for an emergency like the one at Elleven45. .

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told attendees that a strong partnership between city officials, law enforcement and industry is paramount to making the city’s nightlife both profitable and safe.

“These training days were very useful in ensuring good dialogue,” he said. “But also to give us feedback on how we can be better as a city by advocating and supporting nightlife.”

But according to the mayor, the Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife also plays a key role in the fight against crime in the city. Dickens attributes part of the city’s 21 percent drop in homicides last year to a focus on improving security at Atlanta’s entertainment venues.

Kristin Edwards, who was recently named the city’s nightlife and culture chief, said the administration is stepping up its outreach efforts to the city’s businesses to implement small changes that could make a big difference. difference.

Like making sure police officers are nearby even hours after alcohol has stopped being served or pushing back the start times of street sweeping crews to avoid traffic jams. Edwards said safety can be as simple as Atlantans making sure their phones are fully charged before going out on the town.

“It’s up to everyone – it’s up to the staff, the owners and the managers – to make sure that they’re on top of safety, that they’re taking every precaution possible, and that customers,” she said.

Credit: Ben Gray

Credit: Ben Gray

“Boots on the ground”

Bartenders like Kenny Smith of Bar Diver are constantly on the lookout for customers who may have had too much alcohol or haven’t eaten before.

He said life-threatening situations like the one that occurred last month in Buckhead highlight the importance of having conversations about what safety measures are in place and what staff should do if something goes wrong.

“When we do events like this, it’s important to bring our community together and make sure we do the right things, like security searches,” he said. “Because if they get through security, then it’s a problem.”

The City’s Office of Violence Reduction wants to go even further to stop problematic situations or individuals before they reach the door of a business.

The division plans to roll out a program in which contracted individuals called “violence interrupters” roam popular hot spots and areas around nightlife venues to try to prevent violence before police are called. Other cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and New York have similar community programs to combat gun violence.

Reginald T. Rainge, youth violence reduction manager for the city, said he hopes to have the initiative up and running in the coming months.

“That’s the plan we have for the city: to put troops on the ground and use preventative measures to help alleviate some of the problems we’re seeing,” he said. “So there are more eyes in a lot of different places.”