Detroit raids

I have been through two raid on 2 different clubs, neither in Detroit. In one, like you said they just herded the dancers into the dressing room to check for licenses, etc.

In the other one, the headed straight for the semi private lap dance room and busted every dancer and customer back there...about 50 of them. They were all given misdemeanor citations for prostitution activities. No one was taken into custody.

Thanks for your response. I also forgot to ask in the initial post how often SC in Detroit get raided?

What detroit club was this? Was it in the city or the suburbs?

Most of the Detroit clubs have raid lights in the vip rooms. They'll either strobe white light or turn a different color when a raid is happening. Valet alerts the dj who will activate the raid lights.

I've read reports of raids last week at the Coliseum and Scores (8 Mile Road in Detroit). I've never been in a club when a raid occurred. Maybe some of our TUSCL members with some legal or law enforcement background can comment on the liability to customers during a raid.

It is my impression that the risk to customers is pretty low (raids are infrequent and mostly target dancers and owners)--- but I could be wrong.

I am however annoyed that the Detroit police would use gestapo like tactics (ski masks???) to raid a club and check for dance cards and ticket girls who were wearing too few clothes when they got off the stage. In the post-Ferguson era, I'd like to see more scrutiny of police priorities and enforcement strategies. Many of us cannot be too public with advocacy efforts because of job and family issues, but if any TUSCL member would like some help crafting a letter to their local newspaper (such as the Detroit News or Free Press), I'd be happy to help with the writing.

The last round of restrictive ordinances banned lap dances, VIP, extras, soliciting dances, skimpy costumes, nudity, all physical contact and anything that was remotely fun. As soon as the ordinances were passed in 2012 (?), because of the demands of Detroit's "clergy" and residential neighborhood groups, the word hit Eight Mile Road that there would be no serious enforcement. "Business as usual," became the operating mantra. Mayor Michael E. Duggan, the former Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney, was elected in 2013, taking office Jan. 1, 2014. He harbors dreams of becoming Governor of Michigan one day and, with an LE background, is making sure that he keeps his "tough on crime" credentials up to date. Thus, there will be an occasional raid. Regular bribes no longer deter all raids.

A customer could be charged with soliciting prostitution. And a dancer could be charged with offering sexual services for money. In this early phase of raids, Detroit LE is just engaging in scare tactics because they really don't want to bust anyone important who might be in VIP. The raids are designed to get the word out with the goal of forcing compliance with the new ordinances. The fear factor is supposed to clean up things.

Savvy club managers can flash warning lights and everyone can zip up before LE hits the door. Collecting semen samples is a way of gathering evidence of illegal sexual activity, but I doubt if LE will go through the expense and trouble of trying to get a DNA match to tag a customer, unless it's a celeb they caught in the act and they want to make a headline example.

A Detroit customer getting extras is running a small but increasing risk of getting caught in a raid.

Clubs in the suburbs and Windsor, Ontario, Canada are beyond the reach of Detroit LE.

sorry shadow that you had to endure the bust and pay the citation. sounds you like you were involved in one of those plat plus raids. remember "2 for 1 beers (code)?" I was lucky in my timing I guess. I witnessed 2 of them during my trips to the Memphis plat.

Personally I think you are sweating it too much – you probably have a higher chance of getting into a car accident on the way to the SC than actually getting “busted” in a raid.

To date – I have not heard anyone coming on here stating they got into a big ole mess w/ LE b/c they got busted in a SC.

There is risk in everything we do and risk cannot be completely eliminated.

Just enjoy yourself.

Thanks every for the good info. I was at the recent collosium. I happened to be at the bar when it started but when I was in vip I didn't see any lights or anything that could have lit up. That's a good idea for the owners to have to keep their business up with this going on. What clubs have them?

rattdog - No need to be sorry. From my article on the Memphis Platinum Plus:

"I am in the club during a bust: They came in. 4 of them dressed like bikers. They made a sweep of the main room and then headed for the couch room. It was not until the DJ announced that the couch room was temporily closed UFN. Drinks were buy one get one free. The couch room was closed for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Many customers left but I stayed. 50 dancers and customers got ticketed.

I get my first BBBJ in a strip club: After the cops left, I met Angel. A cute petite thing in a pink dress like Tinkerbell. We went to the couch room. She asked "what are your rules?" I replied "I don't have any. What are yours?" She relied "I don't have any either". Do you know what was under that pink dress? NOTHING! She got my dick out and was stroking the hell out of him. I asked "Isn't your hand getting tired?" She responded "YES" and then her head went into my lap. She swolled and did not ask for a tip. All I could think of was, I just got a BJ in a club that was just raided by the cops."

If you are afraid of raids, try going to the club during the daytime. There are never daytime raids. Raids are a publicity stunt! Mass media and hysteria. Tough on Crime bravado! Daytime is low key in most clubs, but mileage is at its best. No large volume of customers or strippers for a publicity stunt.

I would think that a warning system to warn customers and dancers of a raid would be somewhat illegal, since its actively interfering with LE attempts to enforce. But I'm not sure, just guessing

I worked at Scores when it first opened. Their raid lights are located underneath the seats and I think they glow red during a raid. They are only turned on during a raid though. Coliseum is an older building, so maybe they don't have them installed, or the light in the vip was out? Who knows. My club has strobes for raid lights.

"Their raid lights are located underneath the seats and I think they glow red during a raid."

So did they actually tell employees that's what they were used for? Wow, I'm amazed. Maybe it's legal, but it sure seems like you're intentionally obstructing justice or something.

Interesting...I did a little internet searching, and apparently there is a surprisingly similar issue that involves people warning others of the presence of police speed traps. They flash their headlights warning of an upcoming speed trap, or put up signs, or whatever.

Apparently that has caused police to arrest people for obstruction of justice. However, as far as I can tell the charges don't stick, and they end up charging the person with unrelated charges.

Interesting.....

@jerikson40: "Apparently that has caused police to arrest people for obstruction of justice. However, as far as I can tell the charges don't stick, and they end up charging the person with unrelated charges."

And in fact, at least one court has ruled the warning people of police presence or a speed trap is protected speech. I don't recall how far it went.