News Article: February 23, 2008

Section: News
Outlet: The Province
Byline: Stuart Hunter
Title: Barwatch sticker program promotes safe, secure drinking spots
Date: 2008-23-02

VANCOUVER (CP) - Barwatch and the Vancouver Police are hoping to paint the town red.

Red as in the colour of a new Barwatch decal program that will let late-night revellers know which bars are naughty and which are nice.

"We believe the standards we set for bars having these decals are the highest in the industry," Barwatch chair John Teti told a news conference on Friday. "They are the safest places you can be."

Under the one-year pilot program, each Barwatch-approved nightspot will be given three red circular decals - the largest one is meant to go on the front door or window and be easily visible to patrons.

Teti said all bars displaying the decal must maintain the highest industry standards including metal detectors, [TreoScope] ID scanners and policies like responsible beverage service.

They must also sign an agreement allowing VPD, Integrated Gang Task Force or Firearms Interdiction Team members to remove any criminal elements from the bars.

The decals would be removed if the bar owner was found not to be maintaining the standards.

"It is to ensure that we are accountable," Teti said. "In an ideal world, we'd like every (bar) to be a member."

Insp. Rollie Woods, commander of District One, which includes the Entertainment District, said the program will help police deal with two of their priorities - gangs and guns.

"The staff and the owners are put in a difficult situation if they are required to point out and remove possible gang members or other criminals, " Woods said. "This way, when officers routinely patrol the bars or they receive information, they can remove the person or persons without putting the staff and/or owners at risk."

Woods and Teti agreed that the bar scene has mellowed since new safety measures were introduced about a year ago.

"We are not having the same level of problems that we had before," Woods said. "Very rarely are we having to remove or deal with gang members."

Teti said the cabaret scene is overall safer with 90 per cent of bars belonging to Barwatch.

"We've seen a change in clientele," Teti said. "The face of Granville Street is changing."

Teti added bar owners and police from other communities such as Burnaby, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Calgary, Ontario and San Francisco are keeping an eye on the program.

shunter@png.canwest.com

© The Vancouver Province 2008