Coquitlam RCMP says Inadmissible Patrons Program is working: 12 ejections in 1st year, no complaints

One year after launching the Inadmissible Patrons Program (IPP) in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam restaurants and bars, Coquitlam RCMP say the initiative is working as intended.

Const. John Graham, media relations officer for the Coquitlam RCMP, said the program has so far led to 12 ejections from the six participating establishments since May 2024.

“We’ve found the program to be very successful through the first year,” Graham explained via email. “Our efforts through this program is to enhance public safety and support the community.”

Coquitlam RCMP launched the program last spring three months after two people were injured in a shooting outside a Cactus Club on Barnet Highway in Coquitlam.

The IPP is designed to improve public safety, and is enforced by Coquitlam RCMP’s Gang Enforcement Team through active patrols. Bars and restaurants can sign up for the program, receiving signage to warn off potentially dangerous patrons. 

It aims to prevent individuals believed to be connected to organized crime from entering participating venues. Officers may ask such individuals to leave if their presence poses a risk to public safety, even if they haven’t committed a crime.

While Graham said there has not been increased participation since it rolled out, this is because most establishments enrolled at the start.

So far, police report there have been no formal complaints from the public about the practice, according to Graham.

In fact, he said the response from business owners has been supportive.

“Restaurant managers and owners have indicated they would like to see an increase of police presence in these locations,” he said.

Asked whether the program had led to a decrease in gang-related incidents at participating venues, Graham said that while it is difficult to measure the success of such a program, the RCMP is confident the program reduces the “likelihood of incidents.”

“The occurrence of serious incidents cannot be predicted,” he said. “However, we are confident that the program reduces the likelihood of incidents by helping to remove persons who pose a threat to safety from being in close proximity to the general public.”

Similar programs exist in other B.C. jurisdictions under different names, such as Bar Watch, though operational details vary.