Improved safety and security at restaurants/bars in Laredo

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – Finding a solution to safety and security around Laredo’s restaurant bars will take some time.

The February 21 council meeting agenda featured an item from District 6 council member Dr. Marte Martinez. The article asked the council to discuss creating an ordinance to regulate safety and security at restaurant bars in light of the repeated tragedies. The latest tragedy is the shooting outside the TKO Sports Cafe in February which left three people dead.

Councilman Martinez says the city needs to find a way to protect the men and women who visit these facilities. There were several public comments during the meeting saying the proposal could hurt bar owners still recovering from the pandemic.

Martinez says right now he’s just trying to start a dialogue about what can be done. “I would like the [city] management team to bring back to us a plan regarding task forces, the movement of police officers, improving the capabilities of our black policing, occupancy checks or requiring private security companies, for this board to deliberate or act.

Acting City Manager Keith Selman said city management will create a small team that will engage people who spoke on the agenda item as well as restaurant-industry business owners- bars to create a dialogue and find a solution.

Copyright 2022 KGNS. All rights reserved.

For more titles. Click here.