Horst says that 90 percent of surveying St. Patrick’s Day is just keeping it under control. Officers want to make sure that people aren’t destroying the city, he said.

Officers set out early to try and prevent disruptive behavior late on in the evening. Horst said when police come across an incident, they just want to make sure people are keeping themselves under control.

“We will usually tell them it’s getting a little out of control, to take it easy, make sure you’re being smart, and don’t cause a disruption to anyone else,” Horst said. “If they abide by that, keep it under control, don’t make a big mess or get into big fights we usually leave them alone.”

Horst also said the amount of MIP's given out on St. Patrick’s Day is about the average amount given out on football Saturdays.

“My goal is not to write MIP's, but to make sure people aren’t fighting and or getting hit by cars or getting too drunk,” Horst said.

Horst said he keeps his eye open for reckless behavior, like throwing bottles and tearing down street signs. He added that looks for activity that’s drasing his attention to a certain situation.