UD pleased with SPD outcome

Partygoers rush across Lowes Street while switching sides during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Monday, March 17, 2014.

By: Sarah Devine – Asst. News Editor

Arrests and citations from this year’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend increased from last year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations; however University of Dayton officials are saying the weekend had a “positive outcome.”

UD Police Chief Bruce Burt and Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Development Chris Schramm addressed Flyer News and other local media outlets on Tuesday, March 18 at a press conference regarding the outcome of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“Over the past weekend we basically experienced a four-day celebration on campus,” Burt said. “Overall, there was a minimal amount of destructive behavior…and we were very pleased of the outcome. There was a lot of energy that went into planning to make sure we controlled behavior in the neighborhood, and the students responded very well for the most part.”

According to a University press release, over the course of the weekend, 35 non-University individuals were charged through the courts, mostly for underage drinking, public intoxication, open container and disorderly conduct. Eight of the 35 were physically arrested, as detailed in the press release.

Burt said non-student behavior that resulted in violation of the law was addressed with removal from campus.
Eighty eight students were cited through the University’s student conduct system and the courts, and four were physically arrested, according to the press release. (Jump to page 5)

The number of citations and arrests were from all jurisdictions patrolling the student neighborhood over the weekend, including: 30 Public Safety officers, seven to 10 Dayton Police Department officers, four Sinclair Police Department officers and Ohio Liquor Control Board agents, Burt said.

Burt noted there was an increase in citations and arrests from last year because law enforcement was taking a more proactive approach to addressing student behavior. He also said the majority of violations occurred Friday and Saturday night instead of on St. Patrick’s Day. There was minimal enforcement on Sunday, he said.

“There was a high level of enforcement because police were holding students to a higher accountability,” he said.
Teresa Spanel, a senior communication major and neighborhood fellow, said she thought most students were cooperative and recounted an experience when she saw an individual make a move to throw a glass bottle, but be stopped by other students chanting, “That’s not cool.”

“I think a lot of students appreciated the police support and no student wanted to see what happened last year happen again,” Spanel said.

Schramm said there was “good attendance” at the numerous non-alcohol events the University hosted and blamed last year’s events not on a lack of planning or programming, but partially on the impact of social media.

“The responsible behavior we saw this year was because much of the students saying, ‘That’s not what UD is about’…we heard that a lot [Monday] and a lot of positive comments from students supporting they did not want to get out of control and wanted to remain responsible,” Burt said.