Police and University of Wisconsin administrators will team up to monitor the crowd and to make sure fans refrain from becoming overly rowdy and disorderly at Saturday’s football game against Ohio State University.
Madison and UW police are combining in order to maintain a larger and steady number of police on hand in order to keep the game safe and enjoyable.
“We’re going to have more officers working the game, since in the past night games have lead to more intoxicated people and in turn, more arrests,” said UW Police Lt. Bill Larson.
Also working with the police is the UW Dean of Students office. Due to a new initiative passed earlier this semester, at least one or two deans must attend each home game to monitor student behavior.
In the occurrence of an illegal action, such as underage drinking, throwing objects or spitting, a dean may approach the student in order to schedule a meeting and to possibly enforce police intervention.
“We are doing this because we care about the students and want to interrupt a pattern of disruptive behavior,” UW Associate Dean Lori Berquam said. “We want students to be successful, and by bringing their problem to light, perhaps we can try and figure out why drinking or whatever their problem is has become such as issue.”
Four to five deans will be roaming through the student section and stationed at the police stand Saturday.
“Our concern is that people have had a full day to have fun and drink. Lots of things can happen and we want to hold students accountable for their actions,” Berquam said.
“We are prepared to make arrests, but that is not our goal,” Larson said. “We simply want to have a safe and fun game with minimal arrests.”
Because night games are infrequent, the police urge students and visitors to be patient and allow extra time to get to Camp Randall Stadium and into their seats. The gates will open 90 minutes before kickoff, as usual.
“Due to the fact that Camp Randall is currently a construction site, we have taken the approach that people just need to be patient. There is a different flow of traffic, and with the night game there is the added element that people are going to be going in and coming out in the dark,” Associate Athletic Director Steve Malchow said. “So, leave a lot of time, be safe, and enjoy.”
The police and deans are also emphasizing that because the game will be ending around 11:30 p.m., it is important to celebrate with respect for the late hour and the surrounding neighborhoods.
“We just want everyone to have fun, be safe — and of course we want the Badgers to win,” Berquam said.
In the past 10 years there have only been three night games, the last being against Fresno State last season.
