Stemming the Nightlife Crisis: Learning from the Arlington (Virginia) Police Department

Arlington County, Virginia, is a vibrant and diverse community that is home to some of the most popular restaurants and pubs in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. It is estimated that each weekend as many as 6,500 patrons visit nightlife establishments in Arlington’s Clarendon district, and calls for service had grown to the point of requiring an unsustainable amount of patrol resources. In response, Master Police Officer Jim Mastoras and the Arlington County Police Department (APD) established the Arlington County Restaurant Initiative, which significantly reduced crime, disorder, and the drain on APD resources. Officer Mastoras joins The Beat to share his hard-earned experience.