LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — City leaders and businesses are crediting an increase in police presence and a crackdown on late-night business for a decrease in reported violence in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood.
The start of this summer season saw fights and shootings along Bardstown Road. But as the weather heats up, things in the neighborhood are cooling down.
The president of the Highlands Commerce Guild said that's because of multiple changes made by Louisville Metro Police and Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control.
"How do you, as a community, calm things down? And it's not just government, it's not just police, and it's not the general public," said Aaron Givhan, president of the Highlands Commerce Guild. "But working together creates the opportunity, and several things have occurred in the positive."
LMPD ramped up its Summer Task Force during late weekend nights. Metro ABC issued emergency liquor license suspensions for businesses ABC said "mishandled altercations," such as Atomic.
A shooting outside Atomic in June raised new concerns about late-night crowds after the bar’s liquor license was temporarily suspended. The license was later reinstated after the business agreed to implement additional security measures.
More recently, Metro Council passed an ordinance requiring late-night businesses with repeated criminal activity to hire licensed private security guards.
Givhan said the ordinance has already helped.
"By having someone on property that has arrest capacity, it cuts a lot of slack out of what has been going on in these establishments," he said.
But not everyone agrees. A spokesperson for the Louisville Hospitality Association said the ordinance was unnecessary, as no businesses have even met the standards for required security guards. The association said it also unfairly targets late-night bars as the ordinance only requires security guards from 2-5 a.m.
Givhan said that timeframe was targeted "because of the number of incidents that occurred." He also said the ordinance is contributing to change.
"They are working on a real-time solution to a very nationwide, complex situation, and I have to commend them for at least getting something through to operate now," he said. "And it's not perfect, no, but at least we got something, a tool, a new tool."
Givhan said LMPD's Summer Task Force will become permanent in October.
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