Compliance With Smoking Ban Rising

Three months after Simi Valley police began enforcing a statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, compliance is increasing, law enforcement officials say.

The department has issued 21 citations this year for smoking in bars, 16 of them after the department sent out a letter April 30 informing businesses that complaints had prompted police to clamp down on a law that, until then, had been disregarded by most bars.

“We’re continuing to enforce those locations where we receive complaints of smoking violations,” said Capt. Tony Harper of the Simi Valley Police Department. “We’re finding that most of the locations in the city are abiding by the no-smoking law. There are some who are having a little difficulty complying, and those are the areas in which we are concentrating..”

In January, five citations, which start at $100, were issued; 11 were issued in May, none in June, and five in July. The most recent citation was issued July 16, police said.

Recognizing that a number of citations issued by the police have been dismissed when contested in court, Harper said it is more difficult to convict bar owners and managers than patrons who are caught smoking because the law requires owners and managers only to post signs and advise that smoking is illegal.

“Although signs are posted, there are some locations in town that bar owners and managers encourage smoking or do little to require compliance with the law, other than posting the signs,” Harper said. “We are trying to educate police officers on the law and what requirements are, so they can identify some of these issues. . . .”