Tempe police have been busy booking patrons of The Library Bar and Grill.
Police arrested five people in the last six days at the bar, at 501 S. Mill Ave.
"I'd say it's uncommon to have that many incidents [consecutively], said Tempe police Sgt. Dan Masters. "Sometimes we'll see a spike but then they'll go down for a while."
On Sept. 14, a 27-year-old Phoenix woman was arrested at The Library after she allegedly bit a manager, causing a cut on his arm.
The following evening two men from the same family allegedly started a fight with the bar's security staff. Police were called again on Thursday to quell another fight in which one man was charged with disorderly conduct.
The Library could face sanctions from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control if the board deems the incidents excessively violent.
Sgt. Wes Kuhl, a spokesman for the department, said several factors are examined when incidents are reported.
"We look at the type, frequency and severity of incidents that occur at establishments," Kuhl said.
Kuhl said that according to the law, an act of violence would be defined as a disturbance that would cause sustained injuries to a person that would be obvious to a reasonable person.
"Penalties can range from a warning letter to fines and revocations," he added.
Kuhl said Tempe police have not yet sent the arrest reports to the department but he expected them sometime this week.
Andrew Bervis, a marketing manager for The Library, said that despite the recent incidents the bar is the safest place he has worked.
"Those have been the only back-to-back incidents that have happened here," Bervis said. "Those types of things don't [typically] happen here."
Bervis, who has been with the bar for four months, said The Library consistently receives high marks from independent and company-sponsored customer service surveys and the staff always places a high priority on safety.
Rich Van De Walle, the general manager of Fat Tuesday, said his bar had addressed similar problems in the past.
"When I first came here we had a lot of problems with fighting," Van De Walle said. "Now our policy prevents our staff from physically touching patrons unless a fight is already happening."
Ian Flescher, a 25-year-old ASU graduate, said there might be reasons why The Library has seen problems.
He said the bar, which features waitresses and bartenders dressed as schoolgirls, seems to attract more men, who he feels are more prone to fighting.
Flescher, who said he visits The Library a few times a month, said the bouncers at the bar are not any more aggressive or physical than other bars he frequents.
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
