Council Summit Today To Target Security at City's Nightclubs

Nightclub owners, industry leaders, local politicians, and law enforcement officials are meeting today to hatch ideas and iron out differences as the city looks to boost nightlife security following the recent high-profile deaths of young women who had been out on the town.

The City Council speaker, Christine Quinn, is spearheading the security summit, which will focus on curbing underage drinking, improving the safety of clubs and surrounding streets, and making it easier for bar-hoppers to get home at night.

Ms. Quinn said the aim of the summit was to "come up with best practices for this industry," not to crack down on all clubs and bars.

Following the deaths of Jennifer Moore and Imette St. Guillen, the council has already passed legislation that makes it easier for the city to shut down clubs that hire unlicensed bouncers. Lawmakers yesterday introduced a second package of bills aimed at bolstering safety.

The proposals would require ID scanners and security cameras at all clubs, as well as mandate that clubs with serious or repeat violations hire independent monitors at their own expense. A separate bill would provide increased training for employees on how to spot underage drinkers, how to handle emergencies, and when to stop serving drunken customers.

The speaker said those measures will also be discussed at the summit, which is being held at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Additional legislation may be introduced in the weeks that follow.