El Paso Police Department to present Sociable City Assessment Action Plan
EL PASO, TX (KVIA) -- City leaders are set to hear a presentation from the El Paso Police Department today regarding the Sociable City Assessment Action Plan. This initiative comes after the City Council requested an assessment of El Paso’s social economy in June of last year.
The El Paso Police Department and Code Enforcement Bureau partnered with the Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI), a nonprofit organization specializing in helping businesses and communities create safe and vibrant social spaces. After multiple meetings, site visits, and study areas, our local law enforcement will present a summary of their 48-page report during today’s City Council meeting.
The comprehensive report is applicable city-wide and it covers multiple aspects of El Paso’s social economy, including public safety, venue safety, public space mobility, and the current noise ordinance. The Responsible Hospitality Institute will provide City Council with recommendations aimed to enhance safety in El Paso.
Steve Alvarado, Code Enforcement Director with the El Paso Police Department, told ABC-7 that one of the focused areas of study was Cincinnati Entertainment District, he says law enforcement receives multiple calls of service there. He emphasizes that the long-term objective of the plan is to address trends such as drunk driving. “There are parking garages in Cincinnati, like the Glory Road parking garage, that aren't being used to their full potential,” Alvarado said. “People might not know that if there are no events, parking is free from Friday at 6 p.m. until Monday at 7 a.m. So instead of getting in your car if you've had a bit to drink, leave it there and pick it up the next day. Take an Uber home.”
The report also highlights the strengths of El Paso’s social economy. According to the Texas Restaurant Association, there are 1,400 food-serving businesses employing 32,000 people in the city. Additionally, downtown El Paso is ranked #2 as the most recovered downtown post-pandemic, according to the University of Toronto.
Alvarado notes that the focus of today’s meeting is to discuss the action plan to ensure El Paso remains one of the nation’s safest cities. He stresses the importance of community involvement in the next steps, "We want this conversation to continue with residents, bar owners, property owners, restaurant owners—you name it. It wasn't just, 'we're going to stop here and that's it.' This is going to continue, and we invite everybody to the table,” Alvarado told ABC-7.
They will host two community meetings, one on Wednesday, May 22, and another on June 26 at the Blue Flame building. Blue Flame Building is located in Downtown El Paso (304 Texas Ave).
Today’s City Council meeting will begin at 9 a.m.
