Nonprofit Better Tomorrow to host event next week aimed at hearing directly from the community about drugging at Steamboat establishments.
Steamboat Springs Police are investigating a report of someone who felt like they were drugged in downtown Steamboat this past weekend, according to Police Chief Mark Beckett.
Beckett reviewed a social media post shared with him by The Yampa Valley Bugle on Tuesday, adding that the name attached to the post is not the person who made a report to police. Beckett said the post may be using a pseudonym or it could be another incident that has not been reported to police.
The incident being investigated happened at Schmiggity’s Live Music and Dance Bar, though reports of drugging incidents are not isolated to one place, rather the bar scene in general, Beckett said.
“I certainly wouldn’t say they are all at Schmiggitys, we have had reports at multiple establishments,” Beckett said. “The only commonality is that they have all been bars. And they have not all been downtown, I can think of one that was not downtown that we have received a report on in the last year.”
Beckett said the department receives about two to three reports of drugging incidents each year, a number that he called “too common for this community.” The problem is not new. In 2022, Steamboat Resort took the unusual step of sending a notice to employees about reports of drugging at a bar near the mountain, warning them to avoid the establishment. Several commenters on social media said they have been experiencing this problem for years.
While it is unclear if the social media post is connected to the recent suspected drugging reported to police or not, Beckett said it is concerning if similar incidents are not being reported.
“This is concerning to me if this is in fact two people because we only have one report,” Beckett said. “If you feel like you have been the victim of a drugging, especially if there was an assault afterwards … report it to police. We can’t do anything if we don’t know about it.”
Police received this report, which did not include an assault, the night that the drugging is believed to have taken place, but making a report at any time is helpful, even the next day or longer. One challenge with such reports is that hospitals generally don’t have the ability to test for drugs that are commonly used in these incidents.
“Even if someone feels they have been drugged, we don’t have a really good platform, other than video surveillance to determine whether or not they have been drugged,” Beckett said. “There’s always things we can do like go back and look at surveillance we can try to find witnesses, there is always things we can do after the fact.”
There has been a broad social media response to the post, which was shared on the Routt County Chat, Rant, n Rave Facebook page on Tuesday. Hours after the initial post, Schmiggity’s posted a statement to its Facebook account saying they take allegations of drugging very seriously and have taken steps for years to protect their patrons.
“We are taking these allegations very seriously with respect to the privacy of those involved,” the post from Schmiggity’s reads. “For the past five years we have taken very serious measures towards creating a safe and secure venue with knowledgeable staff, even though we have not posted about it online, we implement these measures every night.”
“We work very closely with local PD and Steamboat Advocates through their Safe Night Out program,” the post continues, referring to the program called Good Night Out that is now operated by COMMA Project. “We offer lids, cup condoms and drink test kits every night to anyone who asks.”
Better Tomorrow, the local nonprofit that operates Advocates of Routt County and COMMA Project, published a press release Tuesday in response to the social media conversation.
“Our hearts go out to the individuals involved and anyone who has been affected by similar incidents,” the release reads. “Advocates of Routt County, in conjunction with Better Tomorrow’s other programs, acknowledges that this is, unfortunately, not an isolated event. … This is a wake-up call for all establishments to ensure the safety of their patrons and performers by adopting robust safety practices.”
Good Night Out is a program launched by Advocates five years ago that works to engage bars and restaurants by training staff, raising awareness and offering guidance on recognizing and mitigating risks, according to the press release.
The COMMA Project and Advocates are hosting an event on Jan. 21 at Dusky Grouse designed to “hear directly from the community so that, together, we can create safer spaces for all to enjoy.” The event will be held at two times next week, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We urge the community to support safer nightlife spaces by advocating for accountability and participating in events our team is hosting in the coming days and weeks,” Better Tomorrow said the press release. “For those unable to attend Tuesday, we will soon share details about informal drop-in opportunities at various locations where community concerns may be shared in a more private setting.”
For more information about Better Tomorrow’s response to this issue or to learn more about Good Night Out, please contact Better Tomorrow Executive Director Mark Fitzgerald at mark@bettertomorrowco.org, or 970-875-6982.