JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Over the weekend, the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) shared arrest and citation data with News Channel 11 about activities in downtown.

On the weekend of August 9-10, downtown Johnson City saw something a bit different as the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) joined forces with the JCPD to provide additional patrols in the area.

This collaboration came as a response to opposition from downtown businesses and the public against a proposal to amend Johnson City’s “last call” ordinance. The proposed change would reduce the time for alcohol sales citywide, from 3 a.m. to 1 a.m.

City officials pointed to recurring violent incidents downtown as a key reason for considering changes to the ordinance. Initially focused solely on the downtown district, the proposal faced criticism from downtown bar owners who felt targeted, arguing that it would merely chase away patrons from Main Street. Consequently, the city expanded the ordinance to apply across the entire city.

During a City Commission meeting on Thursday, Commissioner Todd Fowler expressed a willingness to adjust the proposed last call time to 2 a.m., rather than the originally suggested 1 a.m., before the ordinance’s final vote.

The ordinance passed its second reading that evening, with the only modification being its application across “all zoning districts that allow on-premises beer sales,” instead of limiting it to just downtown.

Commissioners also said they wanted to hear more from the sheriff’s office about the agency’s plan to increase patrols downtown before the final vote.

The third and final public hearing and commission vote on the last call ordinance will be on Aug. 21.

According to the department, patrols in the downtown area conducted by JCPD on-duty patrol shift and members of the JCPD Special Investigative Squad resulted in the following:

• One DUI arrest
• Two underage consumption arrests by citations
• Four city citations were issued for liquor law violations (drinking in public areas)
• One driving on a suspended license arrest by citation
• One trespassing warning issued

According to the JCPD, the above police actions took place from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday, and from 10 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday.

“The JCPD is appreciative of the weekend patrol support from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office,” the department said in a statement provided to News Channel 11. “The ongoing partnership is another step forward in enhancing safety in Johnson City.”