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Entertainment District targetted by Police!

Aug. 17, 2004. 07:14 AM

Nightclub owners rapped by police
Entertainment district targeted
New unit lays series of charges


TRACY HUFFMAN
CRIME REPORTER

The new Toronto police 52 Division plainclothes unit, created amid the recent police corruption scandal, laid a flurry of charges during a weekend crackdown in the entertainment district.

The team of officers, led by Detective Sergeant Mike Davis, on leave from the homicide squad, laid charges against nine nightclub owners for liquor licence violations, fire code infractions and illegal activity in the busy downtown district that has recently been rocked by allegations of police corruption and shakedowns.

The former 52 Division plainclothes unit was disbanded earlier this year by Chief Julian Fantino after an organized-crime investigation uncovered allegations of corruption and unfair liquor enforcement.

Several officers from the unit face criminal and Police Services Act charges.

During the sweep, plainclothes unit members, inspectors with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Toronto fire department personnel entered bars and informed owners or managers they were there for an intense inspection.

So far, said police Inspector Don Campbell, nightclub owners have been co-operative with the inspections, which take between 15 and 45 minutes.

"Overcrowding is my biggest fear," Campbell said. "We all know of the horror stories down in the States with these clubs.... If something goes wrong inside those clubs, we want to be sure people can get out. I don't want to have 600 body bags on the road."

Campbell said he has had some calls from owners who want to discuss how they can be proactive.

"The whole idea is to find ways the bars can improve and to make sure everything is up to standard," Campbell said, noting the area � bounded by University Ave., Queen St. W., Spadina Ave. and Front St. W. � is home to about 70 large nightclubs and many smaller ones.

Some of the violations on the weekend included overcrowding, locked and unmarked fire exits, obstructed stairwells, and permitting drunkenness and the use of narcotics.

"This is an ongoing project," Campbell said. "We will be doing this again."

Morale at the troubled 52 Division was low when the plainclothes unit was disbanded, but Campbell said things are rapidly improving since Davis formed the new team.

"A lot of officers wanted to be part of this," he said.

well people on this board have been preaching this for say, since LOL'02. And now we have actual proof that it has been taking place.

for shame.

i have searched every news venue possible, and i could not find an actual list of the bars/clubs being fined. The least they could do is tell us!!!

I hope the Guv can finally be a dance friendly place

When the media and cops start focussing in on the club scene its never a good thing. Proof? How many 20,000 person syrous raves happen in Toronto in 2004 for example?

Look for the city to impose ridiculous rules similar to what they did in 2000 that effectively killed the rave scene.

I hope someone points them in Guv's direction!

They will be looking at "all" clubs according to this article. Including the ones you play at im sure

Re: Entertainment District targetted by Police!

quote:

Originally posted by itikia Aug. 17, 2004. 07:14 AM Nightclub owners rapped by police Entertainment district targeted New unit lays series of charges TRACY HUFFMAN CRIME REPORTER "Overcrowding is my biggest fear," Campbell said. "We all know of the horror stories down in the States with these clubs.... If something goes wrong inside those clubs, we want to be sure people can get out. I don't want to have 600 body bags on the road." "The whole idea is to find ways the bars can improve and to make sure everything is up to standard," Campbell said, noting the area � bounded by University Ave., Queen St. W., Spadina Ave. and Front St. W. � is home to about 70 large nightclubs and many smaller ones.

quote:

I hope someone points them in Guv's direction!

Yup...

Re: Entertainment District targetted by Police!

Not to be harsh but.........

quote:

Originally posted by itikia and the use of narcotics.

It looks like they will be going after Boa and the Zone too.

Folks get a clue, when the general public starts focussing in on the club scene, ITS NEVER A GOOD THING FOR PARTIERS!

quote:

Look for the city to impose ridiculous rules similar to what they did in 2000 that effectively killed the rave scene.

And as a result made partying cleaner and safer. Not to mention we get a lot more headliner DJs than we got back in the day..

quote:

Originally posted by Durafei And as a result made partying cleaner and safer. Not to mention we get a lot more headliner DJs than we got back in the day..

exactly.

And our move away from the more intimate/underground venues to the big club venues, wasnt just in TO people. This is global EDM culture shift. Look at britain, huge super clubs, not little parties. Yes i know they still have them, but the big/in demand DJs dont attend.

Look at the bigger picture people. The scrutiny of the public was the not the only reason that partying became clubbing, there was just more money in it, so it went more main stream.

^^ Yup sounds about right...And I'm all up for cleaner and safer, i don't need drugs to party, nobody does...and if you need drugs to have a good time then youre just foolin' yourself hehe

But think I'm the only clean dude here...

I am sure the COPS will be @ LOL3. Its the biggest party that weekend. The thing is though, is the $$ amount for having a packed room worth the fine??, DEFINITELY!!!, so I would expect the place to be packed anyway...which sucks!!!

i wanna know the clubs!

quote:

Originally posted by Durafei And as a result made partying cleaner and safer. Not to mention we get a lot more headliner DJs than we got back in the day..

We do?

I remember having the choice of 3 or 4 big parties per weekend back in the 90s.

Not so in 2004.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko exactly. And our move away from the more intimate/underground venues to the big club venues,

Um, am i the only one here who remembers the Skydome raves, the science centre raves, the better living centre raves and the International centre raves?

We used to have massives with up to 20,000 per event. I miss the big massives as much as i miss the small parties that used to happen everywhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 We do? I remember having the choice of 3 or 4 big parties per weekend back in the 90s. Not so in 2004.

3 to 4 parties per weekend is excessive.
The scene was thriving then, yes. But what goes up must come down - but don't try and blame that on the policing that occurred.

Even if the policing/increased regulations are PARTIALLY to blame, it's worth it.

i dont blame just the police, the media fuelled by political interest was the culprit. And we are for the better? Last I checked the clubscene was pretty hurting in Toronto in 2004. And, all i hear is people bitching bitching bitching about what they dont like everytime they go to a party. So i dont think we are better for it.

the 90s were Toronto's time. Sadly the media and politicians in 2000 put an end to all that.

And it wasnt excessive because most if not all those parties were full of people. I miss the choice. Now there is one, at best 2 events per week and if you dont like the DJ or genre then you are screwed.

People always complain and complain i'm sure it wasn't any better then than it is now...

Regardless...you are speaking as if they did it on purpose to piss someone off...after all it was done for the benefit of the people...and yes it is safer now...I don't hear thank god as many reports of kids ODing on shit and dying in a parking lot of an underground rave

Re: Re: Entertainment District targetted by Police!

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 when the general public starts focussing in on the club scene, ITS NEVER A GOOD THING FOR PARTIERS!

Very true. Couldn't agree more.

Re: Re: Re: Entertainment District targetted by Police!

quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker Very true. Couldn't agree more.

Why?

Because you end up getting the general (uninformed) public making rules, setting standards and enforcing policies that are irrelevant and actual do not address the real issues.

-----

When the city decided to ban raves from city property, do you think they (seriously) consulted event promoters, performers and attendees? No.

Instead there was a commitee, a panel of mostly uninvolved people - and the end result, no more mega-parties in Toronto. Talk to Ryan (OS2) - he was there (and got steamrolled with the rest of the supporters).

If the city did consult those "in the know" - they would have realized that city venues are safer then underground garages/illegal warehouses (ask Mr. Ho). Further the city set in place laws similar to those in Austrailia outlining the requirements to get a "permit" to operate on city property (which include free, clean, cold water, food vendors, paramedics, security standards, etc).

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 And we are for the better? Last I checked the clubscene was pretty hurting in Toronto in 2004. And, all i hear is people bitching bitching bitching about what they dont like everytime they go to a party. So i dont think we are better for it.

Most of the bitching on this board is done in Guvernment's general direction.
Which is why I hope the investigation ends up there at some point.

Toronto's clubscene is doing quite well, I think. I certainly find myself with choices every weekend - too many, sometimes.

quote:

Originally posted by starsearcher ^^ Yup sounds about right...And I'm all up for cleaner and safer, i don't need drugs to party, nobody does...and if you need drugs to have a good time then youre just foolin' yourself hehe But think I'm the only clean dude here...

That's not true, I've been clean for months now, Partying is just as fun (most of the time) without help.

quote:

Originally posted by PartyHarlequin That's not true, I've been clean for months now, Partying is just as fun (most of the time) without help.

YAY I'm not alone

Jayx1 - what party was at Skydome?

quote:

Originally posted by Swamper Jayx1 - what party was at Skydome?

The Shriner's circus..... man that was a crazy party! Big top, elephant - EVERYTHING!!

i beleive it was in 1993 or 1994. I wasnt there but i remember hearing about it alot.

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