It is Not as Bad as it Sounds
By Josh Resnek
I received a State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit report for August 12. It goes something like this:
The Massachusetts State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit at Encore- Boston Harbor, which includes Troopers and Everett Police Officers, as well as MSP and Everett patrols responding as backup and casino security, responded to several fights and disturbances early this morning after a large crowd exited a nightclub at closing time. Troopers and officers arrested two people, took a third into protective custody, and will summons a fourth person.
Several minutes after 2 a.m., Troopers and Officers assigned to the joint Gaming Enforcement Unit were assisting with crowd control as a large group of patrons exited a nightclub, Memoire, at closing. As a disturbance involving a large number of patrons erupted, GEU Troopers and Officers requested backup units; State Police-Medford and State Police-Revere patrols responded, as did Everett Police patrols and a State Police K9 unit. One person, SHANI MOHAMED ABO, 29, of Everett, was arrested and charged with assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest after he became uncooperative and combative with a club security officer and responding police officers.
Obviously, this can happen wherever there is alcohol and entertainment. Only the worst losers cause fights and disturbances. There is really no way to stop such events when they spin out of control.
The report goes on:
At approximately 2:15 a.m., Troopers and Officers responded to a second fight involving a large group in the hotel’s main lobby. Troopers from the GEU and State Police-Medford located a Lynn man, who allegedly became involved in a verbal altercation with two women, then pushed one of them and grabbed her cell phone from her hand and threw it across the lobby. Further investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly inappropriately touched one of the women. The suspect, HERBY CHARMANT, 25, of Lynn, was taken into custody and charged with indecent assault and battery, assault and battery, lewd and lascivious behavior, and disorderly conduct.
You have to ask yourself, who acts like this guy from Lynn except for a big loser? Hundreds of people peacefully attend a club and all it takes is one loser to set off a blizzard of problems.
The report continues:
A approximately 2:23 a.m., Troopers responded to a third fight, this one the gaming floor. Troopers from State Police-Medford quelled the disturbance and dispersed a group of people. One person, a 26-year-old Lynn man, will be summonsed to court for an assault and battery charge.
I can make excuses for all kinds of bad behavior. I used to own a bar. We often had fights at the bar. Wherever there is alcohol, there is tendency toward bad behavior always by handful of sad mopes who want to ruin a good time for everyone else.
The report continues:
At approximately 3 a.m., as multiple patrons involved in disturbances were being escorted off the property by State Police and Everett Police, police attention was drawn to one man who was highly intoxicated and continually yelling. That man, a 32-year-old Lynn resident, was taken into protective custody.
What this report from a single nights disturbances proves, is that the club called Memoire at the casino and hotel appears to have a problem. All these fights and disturbances aren’t the end of the world but they are indicative of a problem.
No one at Encore wants these type fights and disturbances at the site.
No one endorses such poor behavior.
Fights are bad for business.
They are bad for the Encore’s reputation and they are bad for the police, who are forced to write reports, to make arrests, and then to seek out Encore’s management to make sure that this stuff doesn’t continue happening.
Yes. I am an apologist for this type of behavior by a few bad apples because it is so hard to separate the bad ones from the hundreds of good folks who enjoy themselves without creating havoc.
Encore is doing a good job of policing itself at the casino and hotel.
Now it is up to Memoire and its owners and managers to step up to the plate.
First they have to admit they have a problem – and this police report indicates a big problem.
I can understand one fight. I can even understand two fights. But I can’t understand three fights and third incident all in one night!
Memoire’s management has to get tough with people who drink too much, or are too high, or who are too anti-social to be allowed entrance to their club.
Somehow the folks at Memoire have to figure this out…or Memoire will be a memory.
That’s a guarantee.
The casino and hotel are going to survive and flourish quite nicely. This other violent stuff has no place in the mix.