Council Ponders Curbs to Gun Violence

Two shootings – one fatal – outside a Park Avenue restaurant early Saturday revived City Council talk of shutting down 24-hour food venues.

The discussion Monday put Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig on the spot, as the city’s eighth homicide this year was a 400 percent increase over last year, when just two fatal incidents took place. Hellwig defended an anti-violence plan that he said was in place for three weeks, saying, “It seems to have had a positive effect.”

But then three shootings, one at the same person twice, raised again the specter of unchecked violence, even though Hellwig said the Dec. 11 victim was a gang member who was targeted.

Hellwig said to have a police officer on every corner was impossible, but offered the hope of having the long-awaited CCTV surveillance system installed “next year.” Despite the public’s fears, he said, “Crime in the city is not out of control.”

“We’re in a good spot,” Hellwig said, noting break-ins are the number one concern after homicides.

“We made a number of arrests,” he said. “People have a perception that nothing is being done.”

But Fourth Ward Councilwoman Bridget Rivers said, “I have a different opinion than you have,” citing “some unreported shootings.”

“I’m putting a motion in place that we close that place,” Rivers said, referring to the Kennedy Fried Chicken restaurant at Park and Fifth.

Councilwoman Linda Carter said the governing body tried to use such a strategy before and was told it could not be done. But she said the council had long asked for a police presence at the site, where large numbers of people tend to congregate after bars close.

The discussion drifted over to the council’s role as the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control board, as some of the homicides have taken place outside bars.

“We put something on the books three years ago to require them to have security,” Carter said.

“The takeaway seems to be that we have to have an ordinance in place,” Council President Annie McWilliams said.

The council receives reports on incidents in or around liquor establishments and Councilman William Reid noted some have “pages and pages of fights.”

“What are the number of fights or stabbings that have to take place before we mandate something like that?”McWilliams asked, referring to an ordinance.

Councilman Adrian Mapp recalled there had been a “gentleman’s agreement” on rules.

Rivers said, “I know there used to be a police presence.”

McWilliams concluded the talk by saying Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson would get back to the council with options.

Plaintalker’s archives reflect gun violence prevention strategies that include “Operation Ceasefire,” a plan where any shooting would be fully investigated as if it had been a homicide. Announced in December 2006, it was still not implemented by August 2007. It eventually took off, but fell through when cuts in the Union County prosecutor’s office caused the effort to disband.

While conditions including the presence of security personnel have been imposed on owners of liquor establishments through ABC reviews, there is no comparable process for dealing with 24-hour restaurants. Over the years, strategies for dealing with after-hours crowds at Park & Fifth have included blockading the street to traffic or making informal agreements with owners on limiting hours.

--Bernice Paglia