Mayor seeks new law to curb violence at clubs
O'Brien: Sayreville's no longer a place for clubgoers 'to go crazy'
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

A three strikes policy is being considered at Sayreville Borough Hall as the result of recent violence and crowd-control issues reported at the Colosseum nightclub.

Mayor Kennedy O'Brien shared his idea for a new policy with the Borough Council and public last week after returning from his hospitalization for inflammation of the pancreas. His proposal comes just a couple of weeks after police from Sayreville and several neighboring towns responded to disperse a violent crowd in the parking lot of the Route 35 nightclub Dec. 28. Police on the scene reported there were fights taking place in the parking lot and noted that patrons were still drinking at the bar after the borough's mandatory closing time of 2 a.m.

On Nov. 22, a Shrewsbury man was shot in the stomach outside the club, according to a police report, and one of the club's dancers reported that she was assaulted in an apparently unrelated incident that same night.

O'Brien said he does not want to see history repeating itself, referring to problems at the former Krome nightclub that culminated with the murder of 18-year-old Che Broadus, of Union, in 2004. Donte Williams, of Rahway, was convicted of aggravated manslaughter last year. He was 16 years old when he shot and killed Broadus with a .380-caliber pistol.

Krome, which has remained closed since that shooting, had its liquor license revoked for reports of noise, littering and violence in 2001 but continued to operate.

At Club Abyss, another Route 35 venue, a riot involving hundreds of people broke out in the parking lot last June, resulting in several arrests. The previous January, a slashing incident was reported outside Club Abyss.

The borough renewed Club Abyss' liquor license after those incidents when one of the club owners agreed to enforce a stricter dress code and agreed to stop working with outside promoters, as was the case the night of the riot.

A "three strikes, you're out" ordinance may be in order to send a message to club and liquor license owners, O'Brien said last week. He said the borough has made strides to prevent such activity at nightclubs and should do more.

"Times have changed. Sayreville is no longer considered the place you come to go crazy," he said.

The mayor also suggested the governing body consider imposing stricter conditions on the Colosseum when its liquor license comes up for renewal in June, O'Brien said.

Karen Surratt, O'Brien's volunteer aide, said the issue boils down to the quality of life of residents.

"The mayor believes very strongly that a liquor license is not a right; it is a privilege and if you abuse it, it can be revoked," she said.

The action being considered is a response to recent events and complaints from residents, Surratt said.

"The mayor would like to, on a proactive basis, find a way to send a message to club owners and to people with liquor licenses that if you are going to be irresponsible, and that causes harm or danger to residents, you are in danger of losing your privilege of doing business in the borough of Sayreville," she said.

At the third offense where police intervene in violent or other criminal activity at a bar or club, the borough could take away the liquor license under the three strikes proposal, Surratt said.

Council President Thomas Pollando told the Suburban that he and Councilman Dennis Grobelny, who heads the governing body's Public Safety Committee, met recently with the owner of the Colosseum.

"We already contacted the Colosseum and talked to [Sayreville Police] Lt. [Michael] Burns," Pollando said. "We are looking at conditions and looking at different ways [for patrons] to leave the Colosseum."

Pollando made note of the Colosseum owner's involvement in charity services, such as sponsoring Special Olympics involvement for children in Sayreville.

The governing body, he said, will be monitoring the situation with the club.

"Councilman Grobelny is going to have follow-ups with them," Pollando said.

The Colosseum, which began providing live adult dancing entertainment in recent months, will work to improve conditions at the venue, Pollando said, making sure security personnel are in the parking lot to prevent fights like those that occurred outside the club Dec. 28.

"We told them that we are not going to tolerate that," Pollando said. "The owner of the Colosseum was quite respective and wants to be a good neighbor."