Sixty-one deaths have occurred at or have been linked to Prince George’s County music and dance venues since 2005, with at least eight homicides this year alone, police said.
Now there is a move to make promoters and others involved with security at clubs in the county more responsible for violence occurring around them.
Prince George's Councilwoman Karen Toles, D-Capitol Heights, has introduced a bill that would require strict security plans inside and outside the venue, according to a report in the Washington Examiner. The fee for acquiring a dance hall license would also increase from $200 to $1,000.
The Prince George’s County Police Department supports the bill, saying it would finally give police and other law enforcement officials the support necessary to punish or shut down dance halls with a history of violence, the Examiner reported.
A public hearing is scheduled on the bill for July 19.
