Ashland, Ore.- Ashland’s night life is causing problems for residents in the area, which is why the police department is working with club and bar owners to find a solution.
In 2017, officers dealt with seven assault cases and eight disorderly conduct issues between O’Ryan’s Irish Pub and Vinyl Club in Ashland.
Police say they dedicate a lot of resources where those businesses are located, due to the number of complaints they get from nearby residents.
While the two bars are close in proximity, O’Ryan’s Irish Pub owner, Mike Szelong says the two are very different. Szelong says he can not speak for the other club, but says he is doing everything he can to be a good neighbor.
“We want to be a great neighbor and we want to have a place where people feel comfortable, that they can come in and have fun and be safe,” Szelong said.
And Ashland police say building a relationship will help.
“There is a lot of working with the parties involved during daylight hours and trying to get people be respectful of each other so the entire community can peacefully coexist,” Chief Tighe O’Meara, Ashland police said.
So far, Szelong says he has coordinated with police and residents to look for solutions. Those solutions include installing video cameras to help officers if situations arise and adding air conditioning, so patrons may choose to stay inside during the summer months.
Police say being both a tourist and college town can contribute to a more lively downtown, which in turn can generate more issues. However, they believe the owners are doing their best to mitigate the issues as they arise.
“If we’re going to have that atmosphere then there’s some stuff that goes along with that,” Chief O’Meara said. “What I ask out of the business owners is, I ask them to be conscientious.”
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