agingrebel.com
Earlier this week, agents with the
Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control hand delivered more
than 30 letters to restaurants and bars in and around Charlottesville
warning the taverns that they may be shut down if they serve patrons
wearing motorcycle club insignia.
The action follows a recent, new
expansion of the Department’s Bureau of Law Enforcement. Last December,
according to the department, “On December 1, 2016, the Bureau of Law
Enforcement received accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement
Professional Standards Commission, putting it in an elite group of
enforcement agencies. The accreditation program is a thorough inspection
and review of agency policies, procedures, processes and operations as
defined by 190 stringent standards.” The department’s Bureau of Law
Enforcement is also increasing the number of its officers.
Multiple news reports state the new
enforcement effort is in response to a “a dust-up between a member of a
motorcycle club and another customer.”
Statement
The contents of the letters have not
been published on the Commonwealth or Department’s websites but the
Virginia ABC did issue a statement. It warned:
“Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement
Region 9 distributed a letter addressed to Region Nine on premise
licensees advising them of an increase in outlaw motorcycle gang
activity in on premise ABC licensed establishments. This letter was
created in response to information received from four local law
enforcement agencies within the Charlottesville region. The letter was
provided as an educational resource for licensees and was hand-delivered
to approximately 30 licensees in the region during inspections and day
to day interactions. Special agents are continuing to distribute the
letters.
“The letter includes applicable sections
of Virginia Code and states that all Virginia ABC licensees should take
reasonable measures to prevent their establishments from becoming a
meeting place or rendezvous for members of a criminal street gang or
from becoming a place where patrons of the establishment commit criminal
violations. The letter also advises licensees of potential penalties
that could be incurred in the event of a violation. It does not state
that licensees should decline service to certain individuals and does
not require any specific actions on the part of the licensee.
“At their request, Virginia ABC is
working with the following local law enforcement agencies on this
effort: Town of Orange Police Department; Town of Louisa Police
Department; Louisa County Sheriff’s Office; and the Greene County
Sheriff’s Office.”
Louisa Police Chief Ronnie Roberts told Charlottesville television station WVIR
that the colors ban is aimed at members of one percenter motorcycle
clubs. “Those one percenters, the ones that create the problems for us
in law enforcement and the criminal activity, is the area we need to
focus on,” Roberts said. “What we’ve done is try to make sure everybody
is on the same page and not leaving anyone out, so everyone knows what
the regulatory issues are.”