SLA Issues Emergency Suspension for Brooklyn Bar

Albany, NY – The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) summarily suspended the license of Delroy’s Café at 14 Duryea Place in Brooklyn. The suspension was ordered by Chairman Vincent Bradley, Commissioner Lily Fan, and Commissioner Greeley Ford at a meeting of the Full Board on February 6, 2019. Effective immediately, no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises. During the suspension period the SLA intends to seek the permanent cancellation or revocation of the license.

On January 13, 2019 at approximately 6:00 am a patron was shot inside the licensed premises during an illegal after-hours party. The victim was driven to Kings County Hospital by private vehicle, with hospital staff notifying the New York City Police Department (NYPD) of the gunshot victim nearly three hours after the incident. The NYPD reported no one from the bar notified police of the shooting.

On February 1, 2019, SLA investigators conducted a joint inspection of the premises with the NYPD, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Enforcement Unit and the NYPD Citywide VICE Club Team. The inspection uncovered numerous issues with the premises, resulting in thirty NYPD criminal court summonses issued and hazardous fire and building code violations including locked exits, exposed wiring, faulty exits and emergency lighting and unsecured compressed gas tanks. Additionally, WCB investigators issued a “Stop Work Order” after discovering the licensee did not have workers’ compensation insurance coverage for employees.

These incidents are just the most recent in a pattern of disorderly conduct in and around Delroy’s Café, with the NYPD responding to forty-seven 911 calls since October of 2018, including an incident when a patron was slashed inside the premises on October 6th. The NYPD reports the establishment has become a drain on resources for the 70th Precinct, requiring patrol cars posted around the premises on weekends and contend the licensee has repeatedly refused cooperate with police. The NYPD cited the bar for serving after 4:00 am on January 1st and January 5th, and reported the licensee has attempted to deceive law enforcement by closing rolldown gates while patrons are still inside the bar to make it appear the business is closed.

On February 3, 2019 the SLA charged Delroy’s Café with twenty violations, including operating a disorderly premise, failure to supervise, serving after hours, failure to conform to their license, purchasing alcohol from an unauthorized source and for becoming a focal point for police attention.

“Despite repeated instances of disorderly crowds and multiple violent incidents, this licensee continues to refuse to cooperate with police to address these serious health and safety issues,” said Counsel to the Authority Christopher R. Riano. “The SLA has zero tolerance for bar owners that ignore the law, menace their neighborhoods and strain police resources, and I applaud the Members of the Authority for immediately suspending this license.”
The State Administrative Procedure Act authorizes a State agency to summarily suspend a license when the agency finds that public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action. When the SLA summarily suspends a license, it also serves a Notice of Pleading alleging one or more disciplinary violations. In invoking a summary suspension, the SLA has deemed the violation to be sufficiently serious upon initial review to warrant an immediate suspension. The SLA’s decision to summarily suspend a license is not a final determination on the merits of the case. The licensee is entitled to an expedited administrative law hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. An order of summary suspension remains in effect until such time as it is modified by the SLA or a reviewing Court.

On the Web: www.sla.ny.gov
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