West Hartford Police Chief Tracey Gove rendered his decision regarding Los Imperios’ entertainment license.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police Chief Tracey Gove notified Los Imperios owner Ernesto Leon in a one-page letter dated Aug. 31, 2017, that evidence submitted in a hearing Wednesday did not provide sufficient reason to reverse a decision to revoke the establishment’s entertainment license.

The hearing before Gove, Asst. Chief Robert McCue, and Deputy Corporation Counsel Kimberly Boneham was attended by attorney Rodvald Jones who was representing Los Imperios. Leon was unable to attend, Jones said.

Gove, in his Aug. 31 letter, said that Jones “made the point that you felt that two of the first three violations did not meet the requirements of the ordinance. To support that claim he provided a print out of the meaning of the word ‘report’ from the dictionary.”

In the letter Gove noted that Jones agreed at the hearing that if the violations to which he objected had in fact been valid, that subsequent violations, which led to the revocation of the entertainment license, “would constitute additional violations.”

Gove said in the letter that he had already determined that the second (and third) violations constituted violations under the terms of the town’s entertainment ordinance, and the additional information provided by Jones this week did not change his opinion.

“You were given notice that your Entertainment License was suspended and you continued to provide live entertainment. Attorney Jones also made it clear at the hearing that he did not advise you to do this, that the decision to continue to provide entertainment was your own,” Gove wrote.

Complaints about Los Imperios and and disturbances have continued, Gove said, and at the same time Leon has refused the private duty detail police are providing and an abatement plan has not been provided.

The decision to revoke the entertainment license will not be reversed, Gove said in his letter. Under the terms of the ordinance, a new application can be made in six months.

Gove also informed Leon that “if you continue to provide live entertainment without the proper license you will be liable for all legal fees incurred by the town for any action that may be taken to obtain compliance by you.”

Jones could not be reached for comment on the chief’s decision.

Without the license in place, Los Imperios is still permitted to operate as a restaurant and even serve alcohol, but is not allowed to have a DJ or live entertainment.

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