Plainclothes law enforcement officers took two patrons to the ground and handcuffed them inside a Raleigh bar early Friday — an incident caught on surveillance video that is now being reviewed by the Wake County Sheriff's Office. Both men were at least 21, and neither was charged, authorities say.
The incident, at Alchemy in the city’s Glenwood South entertainment district, comes as city officials are trying to crack down on under-age drinking and other crimes in the area.
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Alchemy’s surveillance video, which was obtained and viewed by WRAL, appears to show several people entering the bar about 1:40 a.m. and approaching a patron. Within seconds, the encounter becomes physical. When a second patron approaches, he is also taken to the ground. Wake County Alcoholic Beverage Control identified the officers as part of a joint operation involving several law enforcement agencies. They were asking patrons for identification to ensure they were of legal drinking age.
A top Wake County ABC official said the patrons, who were not identified, resisted officers, adding that the physical response was justified. The bar's owner and employees say the patrons appeared confused about who the plainclothes officers were and question why the encounter escalated.
The authorities involved in the incident consisted of agents of Wake County ABC and Wake County Sheriff's Office deputies, according to Wake County ABC Law Enforcement Chief Scott Broadwell. The Wake County Sheriff's Office is reviewing the video, a spokesperson said.
About 50 people were charged during the operation on Friday, Broadwell said. The two patrons involved in the physical exchange weren’t among them.
Broadwell told WRAL a Wake County ABC officer identified himself to the patrons. He asked the first patron for identification. "He refused to provide any ID, said, 'I don't have an ID,'" Broadwell said. "He backed up and turned around, and shook his head, 'No.'"
Broadwell said the patron then bumped into another officer and was restrained. He said a second patron grabbed a Wake County deputy, leading officers to restrain him. The video appears to show one of the patrons being slammed to the ground.
Broadwell wasn’t inside the bar during the encounter. He said he was at the operation's command center in the parking lot and relied on accounts from the officers involved.
He later viewed the video with WRAL. "The video matches what my officer said," Broadwell said.
Alchemy owner Dan Lovenheim disputes that account.
"From everything I saw in the video, and everything we heard about afterwards, this individual was scared and confused, not combative whatsoever," Lovenheim told WRAL.
Lovenheim, who has owned North Carolina bars for nearly 25 years, called it "the most egregious incident of this type" he has seen in one of his establishments.
Broadwell said the ABC officer identified himself twice but did not have time to display his badge before the patron began turning away.
Broadwell said Alchemy managers knew officers were working there and that they had been inside the bar earlier that night.
"They knew that we were there that night as well," Broadwell said. "We had already been in Alchemy numerous times before."
Alchemy General Manager Derrick Andrews disputed that. He said he was near the entrance and didn’t recognize the group as law enforcement.
Asked when he realized they were officers, Andrews said: "After the fight." That’s when he saw identification pulled from beneath their civilian shirts, he said.
Broadwell said working in plain clothes is common during bar enforcement operations because it allows officers to observe activity before approaching someone.
"People don't know, and you can look and see what's going on before you approach, and then you identify yourself," Broadwell said.
He said officers can detain someone who refuses instructions and attempts to walk away and are trained to use the least amount of force necessary.
Asked whether the force at Alchemy was justified, Broadwell said: "Absolutely justified."
Lovenheim disagreed.
"We understand that enforcement happens. We welcome it," Lovenheim said. "But these types of actions are far beyond what is acceptable, and my hope is that enforcement can continue, maybe without the bodyslams."
Outside the bar, officers confirmed both patrons were old enough to legally drink. Broadwell said the men apologized to the officers.
"We felt like this could be an educational experience for [the patrons] as opposed to being an enforcement experience," Broadwell said of the decision not to charge them.
John Zimmerman, who oversees operations for Alchemy and other Oak City Group Office LLC bars, said the patrons appeared frightened after the encounter.
The incident comes as Raleigh leaders consider increased patrols and other safety measures in Glenwood South.
At Tuesday's Raleigh City Council meeting, officials discussed renewed use of a nightlife entertainment task force that would bring together multiple city departments and Wake County ABC for safety inspections.
Lovenheim said his criticism of Friday's encounter does not mean he opposes enforcement. He said his businesses spend about $250,000 a year hiring off-duty Raleigh Police Department officers.
"Most of the people who work for RPD, Wake ABC, ALE, are great people doing their job," Lovenheim said. "What happened [that] night was a very different story."
Broadwell said additional operations are planned this fall, adding, “maybe not exactly like this.”
