Mayor Dave Cieslewicz revealed yesterday the creation of an alcohol policy coordinator, a new position created to connect the city administration, local police force and UW-Madison with area businesses that serve alcoholic beverages.
Funded by both the city and UW-Madison, the position represents a cooperative effort to address the growing problems associated with drinking in the Madison area. According to Cieslewicz, the coordinator is not to be viewed as a law enforcement official or \bar czar,"" but rather a provider of information on liquor licenses, bar management and proper conduct of bar employees.
The coordinator will also help develop new practices for identifying underage drinkers and preventing unruly behavior before it becomes violent.
""This is the first time it is someone's job to work proactively with alcohol establishments to be the best distributors they can be,"" Cieslewicz said.
Police officers cited over-consumption and over-serving of alcohol as the most critical issues on the Madison bar scene. In recent cases of battery and assault in the Madison area, victims have been so drunk that they cannot recall even the race or gender of their attacker. The alcohol policy coordinator will combat these problems by educating local bartenders to identify over-consumption in a bar patron before it gets out of control and address the problem quickly and without altercation.
Special Assistant to the Chancellor in Community Relations LaMarr Billups said although UW-Madison establishments that serve alcohol-specifically Memorial Union and Union South-do not see the disorderly conduct, violence and over-serving currently plaguing the city bar scene, the alcohol policy coordinator is welcome on campus.
""We hope that the partnerships we've developed between our police departments, the UW Health Service, the bar and restaurant owners, retail business and area residents including students have resulted in a safer environment and a heightened awareness of the need to act responsibly when alcohol is part of the entertainment mix,"" Billups said in a statement.
Ultimately, the alcohol policy coordinator is a pilot project aimed at fostering a sense of partnership between Madison police and business owners with liquor licenses. Officials stressed the position will be a comprehensive attempt at prevention rather than remediation of issues with the bar scene.
""We would rather see problems avoided than problems needing to be dealt with later on,"" Cieslewicz said.
