When you visit or live in New York, chances are, you are being photographed pretty frequently without even knowing it. There are hidden cameras everywhere… on street corners, inside restaurants, bars, stores, you name it, you are on someones security screen being watched. There are many nightclubs though, that don’t have cameras, which has hindered some very serious criminal investigations.

Who can forget the horrifying story of 24 year old Imettte St. Guillan, a graduate student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who was found dead in Brooklyn after partying in the Bowery area of New York. She had been out bar hopping with her friends, then, in an intoxicated state, decided to keep bar hopping alone, and went to many places, including”The Falls,” which did not have cameras, but did have an ex-con bouncer who is now indicted in her murder.

Then, there was the murder of 18 year old Jennifer Moore. She was allegedly killed by another ex-con who snatched the wobbly young woman after a night of illegal drinking that started at the Chelsea club Guest House. Again, no cameras to backtrack what happened that night.

The wheels are now in motion to make nightclubs safer here in New York, so that this never happens again. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly joined by nightclub executives and city officials, have made key recommendations in a 58-point security plan they want all city clubs to adopt, no matter how big the club. The proposal named “The Best Practices” is nightlife guidelines that call for plenty of easily identifiable security personnel inside all nightspots, orders all patrons to pass through scanning equipment, including VIP’s, and their entourages (that means YOU P-Diddy), and has every club keep a list of ousted rowdy patrons at the door, who would be turned away if they tried to return.

We took our Fox cameras over to the world famous “China Club” in New York to see what kind of system they have in place, and what the owners thought of this new proposal, that at this point, is completely voluntary for club managers.

The China Club is one of the bigger clubs that has been in existence for over 23 years in New York. General Manager Tim Gleason, showed us all around the club and was very open about how much security they have there. He said that he doesn’t mind the policy that Kelly has proposed, because it not only helps keep the public safe, but also protects the nightclub establishments too. One of the historic problems for club owners in the city, has been, if they call police to report a problem, they run the risk of getting a summons for having a “disorderly premise,” which can cost a club it’s liquor license. But, if clubs work with police on this new voluntary guideline proposal, a single incident, will *not* result in a ticket. So, essentially, the cops and the clubs are working together here to keep everyone safe.

Now, onto some of the fun stuff. While we were walking around with Tim inside the China Club we went upstairs to look at the cameras on the second level, which is where there is a HUGE wall of black and white photos of all the celebrities that have partied at the club over the years. I had never been here before, so I of course was mesmerized by the photos, and started snapping pictures to show you that I thought were interesting. One that stood out right away for obvious reasons….

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