The UW-Madison Police Department reported 19 citations given, 18 arrests performed and 47 ejections from Camp Randall following the Badger game against South Dakota Saturday.
Efforts to maintain student safety are entirely behavior-based, meaning that police will intervene in cases such as individuals being visibly intoxicated, “stumbling” or engaging in unlawful behavior, like fighting or disorderly conduct, UWPD’s Executive Director of Communications Marc Lovicott said.
“That’s pretty much our philosophy on campus, as well,” Lovicott said. “We’re not just sitting around looking for people to give tickets to. We’re looking for individuals who exhibit a behavior in which we need to get involved.”
In 2023, UWPD reported a total of 466 underage alcohol citations, according to the UWPD 2023 Annual Report. Compared to UWPD’s five-year snapshot, 2023’s statistics are on track with previous reports. For example, 494 underage citations were reported in 2019, according to the 2023 Annual Report.
UW is widely known for its drinking culture, with nearly 70% of undergraduates reporting they consumed alcohol in the past two weeks, according to UHS campus alcohol data. Drinking culture often manifests itself at football games and tailgating because social activities are regularly an epicenter for drinking, Lovicott said.
Despite UW’s drinking culture, UW offers opportunities to have an active social life without drinking, Lovicott said. UWPD’s partners at the Union host free activities for students who may choose not to partake in drinking.
With UW’s prominent drinking culture, UWPD and UW administrators thoroughly researched other Big Ten trends before introducing alcohol sales at Camp Randall for football games, Lovicott said. UW was one of the last Big Ten schools to introduce alcohol sales at their football stadium.
UWPD’s police partners across the country reported that their number of alcohol-related police contacts either stayed the same or, in some cases, even decreased after introducing alcohol sales at football stadiums, according to Lovicott.
While there have only been two home football games so far, the trend appears to be translating at UW, with a significant decrease in police contacts at the first game against Western Michigan University and a standard number of police contacts at Saturday’s game, Lovicott said.
Lovicott said students consuming alcohol should do so responsibly by being aware of how much an individual is consuming, what they are consuming and to have a plan on how they are getting home.
Students who plan on partaking in underage drinking should be aware of the consequences. Currently, there is a non-criminal offense fine of $263.50 for a first offense, Lovicott said.
One violation of consuming alcohol in an illegal, unsafe or irresponsible manner may result in a warning or written reprimand, while multiple violations may result in disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion, per UW policy.
A main focus for UWPD is to ensure students are educated on the legal consequences of consuming alcohol.
“What it comes down to is educating and trying to get our community to understand what is safe and responsible and what is not,” Lovicott said.
