NYPD pressures nightclubs to release private information of patrons

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is strapped in the hot seat yet again surrounding privacy concerns involving an agreement the department made with city nightclubs that would require the release of personal information of innocent clubgoers.

The agreement, which would allow the Police Department to get access to the names, home addresses and dates of birth of club patrons, was reportedly made with at least two nightclubs in March. The information is obtained from the scanning of photo identification cards using a special device valued at an average of $1,000. Most clubgoers are familiar with such devices, which are typically used at the entrance of nightclubs as a way of preventing card fraud and underage drinking.

However, it has been made known that the scanning devices may be abused as a covert attempt by the NYPD to keep tabs on who is entering clubs and their personal information. Owners of downtown nightclubs have been pressured by police sergeants to purchase the scanners and release information to police precincts on request, according to a report by the New York Post. The Police Department’s reasoning for requesting such information is reportedly to combat terrorism and identity theft. However, those arguments have been debunked by civil advocates.

“Whenever the Police Department is gathering information about individuals who have done nothing wrong, it raises privacy concerns,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, in a statement to the AmNews. “I wonder how many people would be thrilled to learn that there is a police file on them with their identifying information because they once went to a club? This is using police powers as a blunt instrument instead of a targeted law enforcement tool.”

Two prominent clubs at the center of the ID controversy are W.i.P. and Greenhouse, both located in the SoHo area of Manhattan. Incessant club brawls reportedly obliged police to heavily monitor both establishments, including the publicized melee that took place at W.i.P. between the entourages of music artists Drake and Chris Brown.

But the Police Department did more than just monitor the nightclubs. The NYPD reportedly threatened to shut down them down and revoke their liquor licenses if they did not purchase the scanning devices and relinquish identification information to officers. According to Gothamist, both Greenhouse and W.i.P. were shut down earlier this month.

The head of the New York City Law Department’s administrative law division tells a different tale, stating that starting in 2007, “Many nightclubs in the city had entered into agreements with the Police Department to scan the identification cards of patrons.” The law department added that the department only uses the information “as part of an active criminal investigation.”

Conflicting reports from various news outlets, like in the case of Greenhouse and W.i.P., suggest otherwise.

Calls to both Greenhouse and W.i.P. from the AmNews were met with no reply.