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An Anchorage Assembly work session on Friday focused on what can be done about "bar break" downtown.
Depending on the day of the week, patrons exit the bars when they shut down at 2:30 or 3 in the morning, and they end up on the street in a highly condensed crowd.
Some Anchorage residents say that's a major source of danger in the city, and they would like to lessen the amount of intoxicated people on the street together.
Assemblyman Patrick Flynn proposed moving the last call for alcohol an hour earlier, and letting patrons filter out until the current closing time, rather than kicking everyone out at once.
Members of a safety committee at Holy Family Cathedral agree with that proposal because the current closing hours, they say, create a toxic environment.
“Our church is staffed by up to five priests and brothers all of whom live on church property,” Jim Crittenden, Holy Family Cathedral member, said. “They have to live in this warzone –recently, one of our priests was physically accosted by a drunk that was throwing rocks at the church buildings.”
One option on the table was proposed by members of Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association, where bars will stop serving alcohol at their current time, and stay open an hour or two later to alleviate the "bar break" crowd.
Crittenden said “I would suggest that the last call not be restricted to only the larger bars and downtown but should be inclusive of all bars in Anchorage.”
There will be a public hearing on the topic on Tuesday, Jan. 15, where more options will be considered before action on the ordinance is taken.
“I'm not opposed to looking at reasonable measures that would spread out the compactness, physical compactness and amount of time,” Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department, said.
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