Late-night businesses in Montgomery County required to submit security plans
As the crowds headed out to enjoy a beautiful Friday evening around the DMV, police in Montgomery County launched a program aiming to keep customers and employees safe late into the night.
Police are now requiring certain late-night businesses to put a security plan in place. The department opened an for those businesses to apply for police approval.
Business operators like Petros Kontos, who manages The Big Greek Cafe welcome the new process after witnessing a rise in crime.
"Every day it's getting worse, not getting better," he said. "That's the feeling I get."
That feeling comes after decades of living in Montgomery County and over 15 years of feeding the Downtown Silver Spring neighborhood around his shop on Georgia Avenue.
He's noticed the rise in violent crime, especially after hours.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich also noticed the trend last year and called for businesses to step up their own security with increased lighting, better and more security cameras, and hiring security.
Police followed through with the new ordinance and launched the application portal.
The new program intends to create a uniform process for late-night businesses including bars, restaurants, and hookah lounges that are open between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Businesses open between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. that have had two or more serious incidents in the last 12 months will also be required to submit security plans.
Kontos said if customers feel safe again, he could potentially stay open later and would hope to see more walk-in customers return.
"I ask people, 'Where have you been,'" he said. They say, 'We've been ordering, but we order online because we don't want to come out late at night out here.'"
Like a few other business operators, Kontos believes this shifts the burden from the county and police to the businesses.
He takes issue with the costly requirements but said he is ready to see a reduction in crime.
"I hope Silver Spring becomes what it used to be," he said. "That's the bottom line. You used to come to work and feel safe."
