Today in Annapolis, a committee of Prince George’s County delegates will vote on a bill that mandates area liquor stores close by midnight — a plan its supporters say will help deter violent crime.
Some county officials worry that after liquor stores close in the District of Columbia at midnight, people make their way into Prince George’s County — where stores stay open until 2 a.m. — to purchase alcohol, making areas surrounding liquor stores hubs for criminal activity.
County Police Chief Melvin High testified before the committee in charge of law enforcement in support of the proposed legislation last week, saying it would ultimately increase business at liquor stores by preventing crime and vandalism.
High said more than 34,000 calls were made to the police last year from area liquor stores — 10 percent of which were made between midnight and 2 a.m. Two officers are required to respond to a call at liquor stores, depleting the early morning police force, he said.
John Erzen, spokesman for Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson — who penned the bill — said the committee met for a vote last week. Only five of eight members showed up, and of the five, four voted in favor — not enough to pass.
Erzen said he expects enough people at the meeting today to pass the bill. Prince George’s County delegates will vote on it Feb. 11, and if it passes there, it will move to the full House of Delegates.
Many of the delegates on the committee said they found High’s statistics a solid reason for endorsing the bill.
“I’m probably going to vote for it,” said Anne Healy (D-Prince George’s). “But I’m still thinking about it. I think that the testimony from the police chief was pretty much moving about the problems they have. On the other hand, I’m not sure that having people staying out in a bar instead of having people buying their own liquor and go home is better.”
Dereck Davis (D-Prince George’s), another committee member, said he wanted to make sure the delegates balance county executives’ desires with the best interests of area businesses.
Joanne Benson (D-Prince George’s), committee chair, said customers can learn to purchase alcohol before midnight to combat minor crimes such as loitering as well as the county’s rising homicide and robbery rates.
“We know what we need,” she said. “We have a problem with people getting intoxicated between 12 and 2 o’clock. We have a problem with the robberies, we have a problem with the increase in homicide. This will increase the image of the county.”
But Brian Moe (D-Prince George’s), said while the initiative could be beneficial in the long run, he is unsure it will have a major impact.
“There’s no problem with closing them early,” said Moe, who was a liquor inspector for eight years. “But I would hope to make some sort of amendment to have it close the first year at one and the second year at 12.”
Anuj Kapur, owner of Number 1 Liquors, said last fall he was against the proposal because it would hurt business by taking away two hours of operation.
But now he has warmed up to the idea.
“It might have an effect maybe for one weekend or two weekends, but when everybody gets used to it, they’ll just come earlier,” he said. “We’re in the College Park area. We don’t have that bad of crime as other areas do.”
A Town Hall Liquors manager declined to comment, and a College Park Liquors manager was unavailable for comment.
