In Johnson City, Tenn., a new ‘last call’ law was enacted over the weekend, which prohibits businesses from serving alcohol past 1 a.m.

According to the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD), no businesses violated the ordinance during the first weekend of its effect.

Ron Adkins, a bartender at New Beginnings, said he has questions about the enforcement of the ordinance.

On Saturday, around 1:30 a.m., Adkins filmed a video capturing three police patrol vehicles from the Johnson City Police Department entering and swiftly exiting the parking lot of New Beginnings on Bristol Highway in less than three minutes.

“I locked the door at 1:11 a.m.,” Adkins said. “We were already closed, had been closed for about 20-some minutes.”

Adkins said the police presence at New Beginnings has dwindled compared to years ago.

“Before the 1 a.m. regulation was implemented, we hardly saw police at the bar,” stated Adkins. “However, we have always been open to police visits. Years ago, it was common for officers to occasionally show up and do a walkthrough.”

Eric Dougherty, soon to be the Johnson City Police Chief, clarified that additional officers weren’t specifically tasked with enforcing the new rule, so he couldn’t comment on the specific actions at New Beginnings.

“I can’t speak to the number,” Dougherty said. “I’m not sure what else might have been going on there in the parking lot. I can’t speak to that.”

“We didn’t have any special details running this weekend, so the available officers were going to the bars within their respective zones.”

Dougherty said JCPD is giving warnings to businesses for the first two weeks of the ordinance.

He also says this time period is not necessarily about enforcement, but awareness.

“We appreciate businesses that prioritize compliance,” Dougherty remarked. “After two weeks, if there’s a breach of the rule, our officers might issue a warning or cite a violation, depending on the situation.”