LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Government's Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is cracking down on bars and restaurants playing loud music.
Tuesday, ABC's director announced a new zero tolerance policy in Jefferson County.
The policy rolls out in September after all businesses are notified. Violators will be fined $2,500 for their first offense. As it stands now, offenders will receive a warning before being issued a fine.
The change comes after hundreds packed a community meeting Sunday to address recent gun violence on Bardstown Road and Frankfort Avenue.
Councilmembers Ben Reno-Weber, D-8, and Andrew Owen, D-9, hosted the meeting, which was attended by Louisville Metro Police, ABC officials, the city's Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN) and Group Violence Interrupters.
Many neighbors at the meeting blamed the issues on local bars. A graphic displayed at the meeting showed violent crime from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. is clustered around bars in the area.
"Public safety concerns are clearly at the forefront of the community's minds, and we are acting quickly on several new initiatives to aid in addressing violence," Reno-Weber said in a news release Tuesday. "These are concrete steps to translate words into direct policy changes that we believe will have an immediate impact."
The councilmembers called the move "a direct result of community input." They also said LMPD has indicated "that they will potentially be unveiling a new program in the next few weeks targeting violence reduction and de-escalation."
Reno-Weber and Owen said they expect to announce additional initiatives in the coming weeks with the goal of addressing gun violence in the Highlands and Clifton areas of Louisville.
Reno-Weber said he may also revisit a plan proposed by his district's former councilmember that would close bars earlier.
Related Stories:
- Uptick in crime in Louisville's Highlands prompting calls for bars to close earlier
- Highlands residents voice concerns at meeting about recent crime in the area, loud music from bars
- Highlands neighborhood to hold community meeting after deadly shooting off Bardstown Road
- Louisville police shoot, kill man who was firing at officers in Clifton, chief says
- 1 dead, 2 in serious condition after shooting in Louisville's Deer Park neighborhood
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