This is a report from West Frankford Town Watch:
ONCE again we received a call from the residents of the high rise apt bldg on Paul street about the loud music coming from the after hours night club located at 4651 Frankford Ave. The resident that called was tolded to call 911. Myself and one of my members drove by there at 2:50 am and there were about 50 cars parked along the avenue and on the side streets. I also saw police car 1516 sitting in the next bock parked in the center of Frankford Ave. and just watching all the people walk by. There were many cars parked in the no parking zone on the next block. This has been an on going problem and I feel that it is going to take someone getting shot or them coming from in side the club and being drunk getting into an accident and then maybe something will be done. I was told that the club has no permits and that the people that are running it have been cited before at another location and that this location has a cease order. If that is the fact, why is this place still open. I know that it was shut down about a month ago and the DA’s office was involved. Maybe the state should have a look into this since no one in the local police dept seems to care about what happens in the Frankford area.
Copies went to the 15th District and Rep. Payton and Councilwoman Sanchez offices. Those are some strong words but I can identify with your frustration. This communication thing looks like a one way street. We send them up the line and nothing comes back to us. Let us know what is going on here so at least we will know what to expect.
Response email from captain Bachmayer to West Frankford Town Watch this afternoon:
I care what happens in frankford call my office monday and we can discuss this issue
francis bachmayer
Update received today from Mike at West Frankford Town Watch:
Today I had a long talk with the captain. He said that the state police were looking into the club. I also asked him that if L&I shut that club down about a month ago, why is it open again. He would not say. He kept saying that the police can not shut any bar because they do not know if they are legal or not. He said that L&I has to shut them down along with the state police. I said that when I spoke to the state police last month, I was told that they knew nothing about the club having been raided by their officers. That it was a local raid but I now have a placed a call to the state police and I am waiting a call back as to what they are going to do. When i get more info, i will let you know.
Is there a reason why the police are not taking action? Police do have legal restrictions. Someone needs to find out from the Captain of the 15th District just what the police can and cannot do with regard to this club.
It would seem that the police are limited in what they can do in this situation. I assume the police could respond to noise complaints and break up the party, but a speakeasy/club is a really a L & I issue. No one wants an E2 or Happy Land Social Club type of disaster here in Frankford.
There are many vacant buildings on the avenue that have housed nightclubs in the past, and could be utilized for this purpose again (The former Club Pizazz and Witchs’ Inn come to mind), though I doubt these spots were licensed for after hours entertainment. The after hours spot at Frankford and Butler has been for sale for over a year and could provide another legal venue for a club of this type.