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PACE, city fight binge drinking

Advocacy group meets with police department; Madison officials to increase bar safety

Members of an advocacy group against binge drinking collaborated with Madison city officials and the Madison Police Department Tuesday to promote programs on the University of Wisconsin campus to increase safety in bars and other alcohol-serving establishments.

PACE is an awareness group against high-risk drinking. The acronym PACE reflects the four pillars of the organization’s focus: policy, alternatives, community and education to reduce high-risk drinking.

Attendees discussed a “best practices” initiative that encourages taverns and bars that sign on to the proposal to maintain well-lit business entrances, increase the use of security cameras and keep bathrooms clean.

“Right now, we want it to be industry-led,” said Katherine Plominski, Madison’s alcohol policy coordinator. “We want bar owners to want to buy onto it, versus us slapping it on in the form of conditions.”

The measure will hopefully increase safety in central district bars and taverns, she added.

According to Plominski, the Tavern League of Wisconsin has rejected the proposal once, but revision efforts are in the works.

“We are trying to get the leaders in the industry [such as] State Street Brats [and] the Nitty Gritty to support it, and hopefully it will have a trickle-down effect,” Plominski said.

Aaron Brower, a PACE coordinator and UW vice provost of teaching and learning, said he was concerned about the training of employees in local taverns. He added people can obtain a bartending license if they complete an online responsible beverage server training course.

“One of the values of [an] in-person [program] is that it puts officers right in contact with the people that we potentially need to get in contact with if something goes wrong,” Lt. Kristin Roman of the MPD said. “I think establishing that contact outside of a crisis situation is hugely beneficial.”

Roman attended last week’s meeting with Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, concerning the upcoming Mifflin Street Block Party.

Laura Kalmes of the First Year Workgroup, a sub-committee of PACE, said the group is planning to initiate drinking workshops for first-year UW students to discuss the dangers of drinking and alternative ways to have fun without alcohol. She also said the group is working to update alcohol and crime data, making it more available to Madison residents.

“[The maps] track student housing density in the downtown areas and overlay crime density,” Kalmes said. “We’re hoping to have the maps updated by spring.”

Focus on alcohol issues, especially in the Legislature, is the highest it has been in several years, according to Carol Lobes Focus, co-facilitator for the Dane County commission to reduce alcohol abuse.

Lobes also added the city is working hard to improve campus and bar safety.

“There’s a real sense of movement, a real sense of momentum and a real sense of engagement,” Lobes said.