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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.
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