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BY BILL FREEHLING

Everyone who works at a bar selling alcohol plays a role in keeping the area safe, Fredericksburg public safety officials told employees of city nightspots this week.

"If you work at a place that sells alcohol you have a responsibility to your community," Fredericksburg Police Chief David Nye said Monday night at a seminar held for employees of city bars. "A lot of bad things can happen as a result of too much alcohol."

Nearly 50 people turned out for the Monday and Tuesday sessions of "Managing the Nightlife," which Fredericksburg police also offered last year.

They included bartenders, managers, servers and security. There were representatives from Sammy T's, Capital Ale House, Spirits, Central Station, The Otter House, Sunken Well Tavern, Brock's Riverside Grill, Colonial Tavern and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Fredericksburg police deliberately held the classes before the holiday season. The class will likely be offered again before St. Patrick's Day, said Sgt. Jim Kuebler, who organized it along with Officer Ron Swaney. Commonwealth's Attorney LaBravia Jenkins, Virginia ABC Agent Carter Wells and Fire Marshal Jay Babcock also all took part.

At the beginning of the Monday session, Kuebler showed the tragic footage from a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island that killed 100 people and injured hundreds more. Kuebler then discussed the importance of following occupancy laws and other fire codes.

He also noted that tragedies such as the one in Rhode Island can lead to lawsuits that can destroy a business and its employees.

Wells went over the myriad specifics of Virginia's alcohol laws--covering satellite bars, beer samples, fake IDs, selling to intoxicated people, happy hours and drinking by employees on duty. He told attendees they could use blaming the ABC to calm down upset customers.

"We get blamed for everything, and that's great," Wells said.

Just as police and ABC agents share the responsibility of enforcing the laws with the nightspots, they also have the same goal: that everyone has a good time in the city without incident and wants to return.

"We all want that," Kuebler said.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com