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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />Topic Report: 2:00 a.m. Bar Closing <br />By: Jim Way, Police Chief <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />The 2003 Minnesota Legislative Session passed legislation to allow for the sate of <br />alcoholic beverages on the liquor licensed premises until 2 a.m. on all days of the week <br />effective July 1,200_3. The City of Ramsey, as the local licensing official, would have to <br />change the City Ordinance to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages.until 2 a.m. from <br />the current 1 a.m. closing time. <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />A later bar dosing will effect the City of Ramsey in several ways. First, it would mean <br />fewer patrols to other 'areas of the city because of the extended closing time. Officers <br />would spend less time providing residential and commercial checks. Secondly, it would <br />create a need to change shift coverage from the current format. The police department <br />currently has a shil5 that starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 3:00 a.m. This shift provides <br />additional coverage [o the city during peak hours of calls tbr service. The ,3 a.m. end time <br />is usually sufficient to aid other of Scers in calls associated with the 1 a.m. bar closing <br />time, including arresiing drunk drivers and domestic disputes. A later bar closing time <br />would push these activities and many others later into the morning hours. A third effect is <br />the overall public safety concern of allowing people to consume alcohol an additional <br />hour and then allowing them to drive a motor vehicle. <br /> <br />Action Statement: <br /> <br />Based on the Council's discussion and recommendation, the City can: <br />J) Leave the current bar closing time at ] a.m. <br />2) Change the bar closing time to 2 a.m. <br />3) Recommend allowing businesz'ex lo stay open on certain nightx <br /> <br />CCWS 7/8/03 <br /> <br />-14- <br /> <br /> <br />