Seattle police arrest 17 in nightclub sting

Seventeen bouncers, bartenders and other nightclub employees were arrested Saturday night for allegedly violating state liquor laws. The arrests came at the end of a five-day undercover operation by Seattle police to crack down on crime around the city's night spots.

Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske and City Attorney Tom Carr used the sting to push for Mayor Greg Nickels' proposal to require clubs to have a special operating license, something the mayor believes would give the city more ability to punish clubs when laws are broken.

If the sting is an indication, such lawbreaking is common, police say.

Carr called the results of the sting "shocking."

"Those who are entrusted to sell liquor need to sell it responsibly," Carr said. But, he acknowledged, there is more profit for those who don't.

Operation "Sobering Thought" began Aug. 16 and resulted in 28 arrest warrants.

Authorities did not release the names of those arrested. Police expect more arrests.

Carr believes that any real progress would require penalizing club owners, not just employees. Under state law, owners are not held responsible for their employees' liquor-law violations.

While Nickels has adamantly campaigned for a city nightclub license, the clubs have fought the idea, and the City Council favors a more moderate approach. There have been more than a dozen nightclub-related shootings this year, Carr's office says.

For Operation Sobering Thought, officers posed as patrons and brought along underage companions who were admitted to several of the bars even though the juveniles provided inadequate identification — an expired driver's license, a license that belonged to someone else, or proper identification that showed the person was underage.

In Washington state, drivers younger than 21 are issued licenses laid out on a vertical format, so it is very easy to distinguish between a juvenile license and an adult license.

"It isn't rocket science," said Kerlikowske.

In two cases, undercover officers posing as patrons were able to bring guns into a club, police said. At Tommy's, 4425 University Way, the bouncer allegedly took a $100 bribe from an officer. And at Tabella Restaurant & Lounge, 2333 Western Ave., the bouncer allegedly noted a gun as he patted the officer down but let him walk inside anyway, police say.

In July, Nickels requested that the state Liquor Control Board make an emergency license suspension, citing 25 police incidents relating to Tabella. But after reading the police reports, the liquor board decided against citing the club for liquor-law violations and ruled there were no grounds for suspending the license, which expires in October.

Police also reported cases where clubs allegedly continued to serve intoxicated patrons, among them: Tommy's; Finn MacCool's, 4217 University Way N.E.; and Tabella.

Officers say the underage decoys were served alcohol at Sugar, 916 E. Pike St.; Twilight, 2125 Western Ave.; Belltown Billiards, 90 Blanchard; Trinity, 109 Occidental Ave. S.; Tiki Bob's, 166 S. King St.; Tia-Lou's 2218 First Ave.; J&M Cafe, 201 First Ave. S.; Ibiza, 508 Second Ave.; Wild Palms, 309 First Ave. S.; Last Supper Club, 124 S. Washington; Cowgirls, 421 First Ave. S.; Tommy's; Finn MacCool's; and Tabella. Employees of all the clubs were cited for allowing minors into the bars.

None of the bar owners could be reached for comment.

The employees who were arrested on gross misdemeanors face penalties ranging from fines to jail time. In the cases of the employees who allowed the guns inside, Carr said he will seek a year in jail.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com