Baltimore city cop arrested at Club Reality; venue and city police have prickly history
A Baltimore city cop was arrested early Sunday after a fight broke out at Club Reality, a Southwest Baltimore hip-hop club that previously accused city police of "harassment."
The Sun's Crime Beat reported Everett Walker, 29, a 6-year veteran of the force, was violently arguing with a 20-year-old female at the club's rear parking lot around 2 a.m.
Police disrupted the fight and arrested Walker after he tried to strike another woman. He "appeared clearly intoxicated with a glazed stare and was unresponsive to our loud verbal commands," according to the charging documents.
Owners of Club Reality, which has been open since January of last year, say the club has a "friendly and cozy atmosphere" for the "best homemade food this side of town." But they've also had brush-ins with city police, who they accused of "harassment" on their MySpace page.
In April, club owners wrote the venue was charged with disorderly conduct, and took to their Web site to complain about what they called "bogus complaints" that resulted in "police loitering on the premises and many unscheduled visits from the fire chief and liquor board."
"We do not understand the harassment and disrespectful behavior by several police officers to the staff and patrons," promotions manager Melissa Carter wrote then. "It is intimidating and embarrassing."
But police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said there are no pending padlock hearings scheduled for Club Reality, and that he didn't see the point of the club's contention. Club owners couldn't be reached for comment - will update when they do - but the Baltimore City Liquor License Board also doesn't show any pending action against the venue.
Guglielmi said that they don't monitor Club Reality any more than they do other nightclubs. "The bottom line on any business is that we're not going to tolerate any violence," he said.
Meanwhile, Crime Beat also reported that Walker was already suspended from the force from a previous offense. It seems the 6-year vet has a thing for fighting in parking lots. In April 2009, he fought with two police officers who questioned him while he was off duty, and he refused a breath test.
His hearing for that arrest is scheduled for October. Sunday's will be heard later this month.
Photo: Club Reality
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Erik, uh check the Crime Beat story. It says the woman hit him. he in turn however hit a totally different woman in the face according to the story.
Posted by: Tif | September 14, 2010 4:53 PM
updated
Posted by: maza | September 14, 2010 5:03 PM
Ok...so the woman hit him. Arrest her as well. But that doesn't negate the fact that he hit another person (woman). He needed to be arrested. And the fact that he's been arrested before for fighting cops while off duty?? Why is this douchebag still a city police officer? Aren't they supposed to be held to a "higher standard" or are our standards so low that this is acceptable?
Posted by: J-Dub | September 15, 2010 9:30 AM
They are hiring 450 more cops. What do you think the percentage of douchebags is gonna be then?
Posted by: Tif | September 15, 2010 9:46 AM
We would love the opportunity to talk about whats been happening @ Club Reality and what we're doing about it.
Posted by: KIC | September 17, 2010 1:47 PM
I'm not sure how anyone could possibly get drunk at Club Reality because the three bartenders haven't been instruucted they are supposed to like- tend bar
Posted by: Tif | September 17, 2010 2:18 PM