In light of the recent trial over the death of Charles Lovelady, bouncers in the Campustown bars said physical aggression toward patrons is not a part of their daily routine.

The jury determined Monday afternoon that bouncers Jeff Portman and Tom Dueber were not guilty in the February death of Charles Lovelady at Graffiti’s Night Club in Des Moines. The men had been charged with involuntary manslaughter after the men restrained Lovelady the night of his death.

The trial has led bars around the area to consider the extent to which force is acceptable in their establishments.

In Campustown, the bouncers’ main job is to keep problems from escalating inside the bars, owners said.

“If someone is causing a problem, we try to get them outside and onto the street,” said Tom Zmolek, owner of People’s Bar & Grill, 2428 Lincoln Way. “We just want to get them out of the building.”

In most establishments, owners said management does not allow the use of force to handle unruly customers.

“We tell our bouncers not to use force,” said Chuck Hill, manager of the Dean’s List. “We don’t touch anybody. If someone refuses to leave, we call the police.”

In more serious confrontations, the police are often responsible for controlling the situation, said Sgt. Mike Johns of the Ames Police Department.

“The problem usually starts inside the bar with somebody doing something the management doesn’t want. If they don’t leave, sometimes [the bar] will call us,” he said.

The police department does not encourage bouncers to use force, but Johns said bouncers “have the right to protect themselves in situations where they feel threatened.”

Some students said they think, in certain circumstances, force may be justified.

“If somebody is being rowdy and refusing to leave, he’s ruining it for everybody else,” said Matt Brown, sophomore in pre-business. “He poses a threat to others, and if force is what it takes to get him to leave, that’s OK.”

Samantha Pasdiora, sophomore in elementary education, said she believes force is necessary only if it’s to protect other people in the bar.

“I don’t think using force against someone simply because he is wearing certain clothes is acceptable,” said Pasdiora in response to the statement that Lovelady was asked to leave the bar because his sweatshirt didn’t meet the Graffiti’s dress code.

Regardless of the trial’s outcome, night clubs want to be assured the Lovelady case doesn’t repeat itself, Johns said. However, he said most establishments acknowledge that an occasional disturbance is a part of the business.

“Alcohol impairs judgment and often causes people to do things they wouldn’t normally do,” Johns said. “It leads to problems from time to time.”