OPINION & EDITORIAL
Who’s miffed?
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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:
- A security fee-for-all (December 11, 2007)
- Farewell, Chancellor (December 10, 2007)
- $$FC (December 6, 2007)
- In a bind (December 5, 2007)
- Entitlement Town (December 4, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Right for a week (May 2, 2002)
- Anything short of a riot (April 27, 2006)
- Partying peacefully (April 29, 2004)
- Miracle on Mifflin Street? (May 5, 2003)
- Why don't we do it in the road? (March 30, 2005)
by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Monday, May 7, 2007
The Mifflin Street Block Party was a resounding success by nearly all accounts. It was a beautiful day that saw no major incidents on the 400 and 500 blocks of West Mifflin Street, and the number of empty cans littering the ground by nightfall indicated that most University of Wisconsin students probably had a great time.
But for a party marked by little to no violence, a very high number of arrests took place: 366 when all was said and done. That number jumped from 263 last year and 225 the year before, which had both been higher than 2004's total of just 190.
Further, in 2003, the block party saw a massive turnout estimated at 30,000 — this year's was estimated at about 10,000 — but the police dished out only 26 alcohol-related citations.
This year's 366 arrests were comprised almost entirely of minor alcohol ordinance violations, with open intoxicant and underage drinking violations being the most frequent.
According to City Council President Mike Verveer, whose district includes West Mifflin Street, police officials were hard pressed to recall any violent incidents by the time the party had finished. Instead, he said the police attributed increased arrest numbers to officers having fewer serious incidents to handle and the department's decision to keep the enforcement level from rising to Phase II — when the police stop ticketing for minor alcohol violations.
It's clear the arrest numbers this year can only be the result of increased enforcement. Though the crowd was larger than last year or the year before, the dramatic increase in arrests signals a much larger change than simply an increase in attendance — a change students haven't really noticed over the past four years, but a change that could spell disaster for the party's future.
The police's job is to keep partygoers and the community at large safe. At a massive party consuming more than two entire city blocks, filled with raging drunk college students with a penchant for overcrowding balconies and causing mischief, handing out $300 tickets for non-violently drinking a beer on the street seems inappropriate — shouldn't the cops continue to watch for real trouble rather than causing their own?
What's more, the police can use the Mifflin Street Block Party as a chance to build relationships with UW students and generate goodwill toward officers for the rest of the year. Though the tradition of posing with police officers for photos continued in 2007, any positive association with police protection could have been trumped by the shutterbugs ending up in a paddywagon just down the street.
Mifflin's haunting past — 1996 saw a substantial riot when students lit fires and caused extensive damage — should be a reminder for police officers that the party can certainly turn sour. One of the most important factors in preventing those events is keeping the crowd in positive spirits, and law enforcement should take the opportunity to extend the olive branch to students for next year and the future.
Keep things safe, keep things positive and keep the party right on rolling.
Correction: As it turns out, even though the weather was less than perfect the past two years, police estimates for attendance were actually higher in 2005 and 2006 than this year’s party. This year’s apparently low attendance furthers our point that police handed out more violations than was appropriate.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 7:55am):
"But for a party marked by little to no violence, a very high number of arrests took place"
Well somebody has to pay for the police overtime (and the horsefeed this year). It's about the money, $366*300=$109,800
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 9:15am):
Great points. Dont the police have other things to do than arrest people with beers on the sidewalk during a block party?
A friend of mine got mugged at gunpoint two blocks away at 6pm Sat night ... where were the police then??
It seems to me that the police in Madison are more concerned about giving out alcohol-related citations and raiding bars rather than protecting all of those people who were/are assulted on or around campus.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 9:22am):
There's a way to have your party "your" way - with the bands and the beer on the street, etc.: take out a street use permit, pay for the necessary security, and throw the best legitimate block party in town. as it stands the Mifflin Street party isn't owned by anyone. Step up.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 9:36am):
If you're dumb enough to be 19 years old and drink in the middle of a street crawling with cops, you deserve to lose $300. Call it a tax on being a moron.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 10:09am):
I guess we just can win with you. No violence this year and you still complain. And of course you blame the police, because God knows underage drunk college students are innocent. Obey the laws, drink responsibly and there wouldn't be a need for police at all.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 10:13am):
At approximately 1 AM Sunday morning, I saw 2 large hispanic men, about 20-23 years old, attack a scronny little guy right in front of Wandos/Milios on Francis street. They really kicked the shit out of that guy. After he was nice and bloody, the two men sprinted south down Francis with some girl.
When I told a cop what happened, the cop replied, "Is he bleeding?". I said "Yes", but she proceeded to write up an underage drinking ticket.
Anyone else concerned?
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 10:34am):
Only around 10,000 showed up on Mifflin? What happened to this campus since i left in 2003? Did everyone stop drinking?
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 12:31pm):
If you aren't interested in paying $300 for having a open container at Mifflin - I started a facebook group - "Arrested at Mifflin: How to beat the system", which is encouraging people to plead not guilty.
The premise of the fact the current court system is already overburdened and will not take on minor offenses. According to a friend who has worked as a police officer in Dayton, OH, in a case like this where so many people likely have the same court date, charges are likely to be dropped all together or at the very least a lesser charge and lesser fine can be obtained through a plea bargain.
Think about it.
-Gautam
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 1:48pm):
If it were only underage citations i could understand, but i beleieve the "no beer on street" rule doesn't matter if your 19 or 29. If the street is blocked off from traffic what is accomplished by forcing everyone into the back yards?
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 1:59pm):
Hey, 9:22: The city would NEVER issue that permit with the way that students and alcohol are being demonized these days.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 2:09pm):
7:55: You're absolutely right. You can't make any money by actually protecting people. This is telling of what the current police force has become. Most of you should be more pissed off.
Anonymous (May 8, 2007 @ 7:39am):
the police have never really shown that they are more concerned with violent crimes than just writing up the easy drinking tickets
Anonymous (May 8, 2007 @ 10:06am):
Police are just enforcing the rules they are given. Focus on the system and rules in place- things like this and a lot of the parking laws are not working FOR the people.
Anonymous (May 8, 2007 @ 11:42am):
I totally understand the police are enforcing the rules they are given... however, how can someone parking illegally get a $20 ticket, while a sober, completely civil, cooperative, 25-year-old holding an open container on the sidewalk of a block party get handcuffed, shipped to the police station, have their fingerprints and photo taken and given a $298 fine???
Seems extremely excessive. And if the police need to overcharge for these type of offenses because the partygoers aren't committing harmful enough crimes otherwise, then maybe you shouldn't send so many police to the block to have their pictures taken with underaged drunk girls to begin with.
Ridiculous. If I'm otherwise keeping the peace, give me my $100 fine, pour out my beer and let me go. That's all I expect.
Anonymous (May 8, 2007 @ 6:52pm):
2nd that to 9:22, I live on Mifflin and I was denied a street use permit in an attempt to legally distribute beer to my guests and still make some of my money back. I sent Mike Verveer an e-mail a week since march with no response still. There's also no thing as a noise permit for Mifflin Street - so is it really fair that I'm now waiting to see how many noise violations I got for the bands at my place?
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