RENO — During this weekend, the City of Reno’s Community Safety & Service Team (CSAST) will be visiting downtown businesses to ensure Saturday’s Santa Pub Crawl is a safe and fun event for everyone.   CSAST will be out monitoring businesses to make certain that efforts are made by business staff to inform patrons it is illegal to consume or carry alcohol outside of a business establishment as well as putting forth efforts to prevent patrons from leaving with alcohol in their event cups. Additionally, CSAST will be ensuring there is not any sale or furnishing of alcoholic beverages to minors and ensure compliance with fire codes, such as not exceeding posted occupancy, are followed.  

“The businesses are great to work with and understand the importance of making sure everyone is following the rules,” advises Reno Police Lieutenant Bill Rulla. “We want everyone to enjoy themselves and create a safe environment for this successful event.”

  The CSAST was created to ensure departments within the City work collectively with business and property owners. The team consists of representatives from the Reno Police Department, Code Enforcement, and Reno Fire Department plus will include other agencies when needed. CSAST contacts businesses to educate on required rules and regulations and provide corrective actions to ensure compliance with those rules along with proactively working with business owners in problem-solving endeavors in order to minimize continued or potential problems.  

The joint approach provides for minimal contact for the business/property owner with different agencies, avoids contradictions between agencies, and ensures all issues are addressed with the intent to provide for a safe environment for all visitors and residents within the city. This initiative will also assist in reducing calls for service to establishments, minimizing the strain on public safety resources.

  The concept of the team was developed from the work done by the Downtown Alcohol Advisory Committee (DAAC) which consists of representatives from downtown residents, business owners, and officers from the Reno Police Department. The DAAC provides input and recommendations to City Council regarding alcohol related issues within the boundaries of Keystone Avenue, Wells Avenue, Interstate 80, and California Avenue.