Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - More attention is starting to be drawn towards "co-mingling" events across the City of Buffalo, especially given some violent incidents that have been taking place in the late night hours.
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It was last week Thursday when Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson presented a resolution to the Legislature floor, asking the Buffalo Common Council to deny applications for co-mingling events in the city. That motion was passed after not only some recent incidents among the youth in-and-around Chippewa, but also following the deadly shooting at Club Marcella back in February.
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Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown also has his concerns with these co-mingling events, saying it is an issue that is of discussion with others in the city.
"We don't think that under age people should be partying with adults at our establishments anywhere in the city," said Mayor Brown during an appearance with Brian Mazurowski and Susan Rose on WBEN. "We do know that sometimes there are concerts, special events where that could be appropriate. But the normal events where people are out drinking in an adult environment, we don't support co-mingling either."
Mayor Brown believes that if these establishments want to, they can set up some sort of distinction that allows for those under 21 into bars for specific events like a concert. Outside of those guidelines, though, the mayor is against the idea of young adults assimilating with those of drinking age in a bar.
"Co-mingling just during the normal course of business, we have concerns about, and we've spoken to establishments about that as well," Mayor Brown said.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia also has his concerns with co-mingling events in the city. He says when you have people under 21 that are looking to go into a bar or a nightclub, there's an increased risk of issues occurring.
"You have to look at what type of event there is, what's going on? Is there a concert, like an actual ticketed event? I have no issue whatsoever with those age restrictions, someone that's under 21, to go into an establishment because there is an actual ticketed concert. It's a whole 'nother thing when you are going to operate a nightclub or operate as a normal type of nightclub atmosphere, then you're gonna have people that are under 21 going in there," said Gramaglia of co-mingling.
While parameters can be set for these co-mingling gatherings in the City of Buffalo, Gramaglia has seen too often where younger clientele are gaining access to these local establishments. He's even seen some teenagers as young as 14-years-old somehow gaining entry to some places.
"When they're checking identification for someone that's 21 or older so they can consume alcohol, there's a more rigorous screening process. And we know people are defeating that with fake IDs and some other things, but when you don't check any IDs at all or you're just depending on someone that's 18 and over, they are getting any younger, and then there is access to alcohol. You'd be foolish to think that there's not," Gramaglia said.
If there is a specific venue that is having a special event like a concert that is allowing those under 21 and 18-or-older to attend, Gramaglia says Buffalo Police can work with the local establishment to help monitor everything before, during and after the event. However, just to open the doors and be 18-and-over for one of these co-mingling events can be a recipe for problems, according to Gramaglia.
"When you have kids that are under 21, and we all know when they're even under 18 and they're out in an entertainment district until 2, 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning, bad things are gonna happen," he said.
While no one wants to have to take away from business anywhere in the City of Buffalo, there are some concerns that if these incidents continue at co-mingling events, it may force officials to do away with allowing those under 21 into these establishments.
There is one other thing Gramaglia also wants some businesses and venues to keep in mind if they are experiencing some of these incidents during a co-mingling event.
"When you start to have more incidents and more police reports stack up, that is something that the State Liquor Authority will look into, as well as we, the police department - we have done this in the past - we'll look at an emergency order of closure, a Peace and Good Order Closure. The Police Commissioner and the mayor will shut a particular location down pending changes to your security plans and your operation plans," he said.
While the closure would not be any sort of permanent closure of the establishment, Gramaglia says it would be more of an attempt to come up with a better plan of action to ensure security measures are heightened and more incidents do not continue to occur.
More from Gramaglia on co-mingling events in the City of Buffalo is available in the player below: