Over the past year, the City of Brownsville has worked closely with businesses in the Midtown Entertainment District to promote two important goals: compliance and public safety.
However, from January 1, 2025, through June 24, 2026, during peak nightlife hours, public safety personnel handled more than 576 calls for service and incidents within a small concentration of establishments along Pablo Kisel Boulevard, resulting in 158 arrests. Managing activity in this area has required significant public safety resources, costing the City approximately $25,000 per month.
During inspections and enforcement efforts, violations included:
• Minors consuming alcohol inside establishments
• Possession of cocaine and other illegal narcotics
• Alcohol service and consumption after legal operating hours
• Age-verification and occupancy compliance violations
• Lewd and lascivious behavior inside the establishments
Let me be clear: our goal is not to shut down businesses. Our goal is compliance and safety.
We want businesses to succeed, patrons to enjoy themselves responsibly, and our police officers, firefighters, business owners, employees, and residents to have a safe environment.
The City remains committed to working with business owners who are willing to operate responsibly, comply with the law, and help us maintain a safe Midtown Entertainment District for everyone.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr. The column first appeared on Mayor Cowen’s social media pages.
