Dan's Papers - June 6, 2008 - Police Department Will Give "Courtesy" Notification

After handing out summonses to three business owners last Saturday night, for lacking required permits needed to serve alcohol and have mass gatherings, East Hampton Village Police Chief Jerry Larsen said he will now (as a courtesy) be "officially" notifying all businesses in the village about his enforcement of this law.

Although the State Liquor Authority requires a permit for commercial businesses to sell or serve wine or beer at any of their events, Larsen said his department started to enforce this law last summer, when some businesses had people walking outside with glasses of wine in their hands.

"We first cracked down on a party last year at Aspen Optical, where guests were violating the open container law in the street," he said.

When asked if his department had notified the business community about their beefed up enforcement last summer, Larsen said he had talked to Ed Dressler, then President of the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce.

But Dressler, who also manages London Jewelers in East Hampton, said Larsen had not "officially notified the Chamber of Commerce."

"I casually asked Chief Larsen what I needed to do to comply with my own business, and he told me about these laws, but it wasn't done in the capacity of the Chamber of Commerce," said Dressler. "The police would have had to write a letter or contact us through our office in some way, and we would have notified our 300 members."

Marina Van, Director of the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce, said neither she nor the businesses were ever told about the new enforcement of the liquor or assemblage laws. "For many years, the businesses in East Hampton have been serving wine and cheese, and nobody told us any differently. If this is the law, we would be happy to let everyone know well in advance."

Van also said she thinks police should have gone door to door with flyers, a month before the summer. "I think they should have told us they would be watching and ticketing people who did not obey the laws, and they could have avoided this whole problem."

Larsen said he will now be notifying businesses that they need to get a 24-hour permit to sell or serve wine or beer from the State Liquor Authority, which is $36. He said the businesses are not allowed to serve alcohol other than wine and beer. They also need a mass assemblage permit from East Hampton Village, for any event with over 50 people.