TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — Tempe Tavern is taking authorized motion after claiming town is attempting to place the favored college bar out of enterprise with police raids and blaming them for a tragic crash.
Owners of the bar on the northeast nook of McClintock Road and Apache Boulevard say they’re being unfairly targeted with two raids involving dozens of officers in 2025.
The most up-to-date was in November, when Tempe police said nearly 250 arrests were made, 246 had been cited and launched, and three had been booked into the Tempe City Jail.
According to the lawsuit, no liquor or hearth violations had been discovered and Tempe Tavern was cited just for a misdemeanor concerning its safety plan.
In April, dozens of officers raided the bar, resulting in 173 arrests, 165 of whom were underage and cited and launched. The different eight had been booked into jail.
During the operation, Tempe Tavern said no illegal alcohol sales were seen and the Arizona Department of Liquor Licensing and Control cited the bar for one liquor regulation ID violation for a buyer having an unacceptable type of ID.
Bar house owners mentioned Tempe “smeared” them when police publicly linked the bar to the 19-year-old driver concerned in a dying in a hit-and-run.
The bar says the motive force used a high-quality faux ID to get in, walked residence from the bar, and had additionally been at different events and an ASU car parking zone occasion the place alcohol was served, however the metropolis solely blamed the bar.
Because of all of the unhealthy press, the bar says they’ve misplaced 90% of their enterprise and are combating to remain open.
Tempe Tavern mentioned its constitutional rights had been violated and is suing for a jury to determine damages.
Arizona’s Family reached out to town and was despatched the next assertion:
The City of Tempe has obtained a Feb. 24 discover of declare from Tempe Tavern that claims – falsely – that the bar was chosen for selective enforcement by Tempe Police.
Tempe Police Department obtained a number of complaints from the neighborhood concerning underage consuming on the bar, situated alongside Apache Boulevard in Tempe. Subsequent police investigations resulted in tons of of arrests associated to underaged consuming. Investigators additionally discovered that an underaged girl concerned in a automobile accident involving a fatality was current at Tempe Tavern on the night of the crash.
Over a two-year interval, Tempe Police arrested and cited 530 underage clients for offering faux IDs or underage consuming at bars citywide. About 420 of these arrests – just below 80 % – occurred at Tempe Tavern. This institution’s actions and continued blatant disregard for the regulation and public security converse for themselves.
The discover of declare estimates damages in misplaced enterprise and “reputational harm” of greater than $9 million. The City forcefully rejects this declare as absurd. The City of Tempe and the Tempe Police Department will proceed to face up for the protection of our neighborhood and the younger individuals who reside and go to highschool right here.
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