The independent commission investigating the April 2-3 disturbances presented a four-step plan Wednesday to help increase safety throughout the East Lansing community during celebratory events.

The plan, built around prevention, planning, implementation and recovery, is still being revised with input from commission members.

The commission members have been meeting throughout the summer to discuss the actions that police took against students and allegations of excessive force. A police-estimated crowd of more than 3,000 people took to the streets on the nights of April 2-3 after the MSU men's basketball team lost to North Carolina in the NCAA Final Four.

The plan also includes procedures to ensure personal rights are protected, to assign Olin Health Center as a universal place of care and reducing the use of chemicals such as pepper spray. Reducing alcohol consumption and offering initiatives to students were also suggested.

"In the realm of prevention, as long as East Lansing is seen as a place to raise hell, that's something we may want to change," said Ed McGarrell, director of the MSU School of Criminal Justice.

The commission also agreed that it was necessary for police officers to make announcements that chemicals such as tear gas were going to be used on the crowd repeatedly.

"We need to have our (police) announcements synchronized with behavior," commissioner Derek Wallbank said.

East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows said the commission also needed to take people's health into consideration.

"For those who didn't hear (police announcements) or showed up late, (they) didn't know anything until it was too late," Meadows said. "We need to be aware if people have medical problems and repeat that we're about to shoot gas in the warnings."

Wallbank also suggested designating contained locations for celebrations after major events, but the university denied the requests because of budget restrictions.

Meadows said the city and MSU could work together to find a location for students to gather.

"(The university) are restricted by their own budget, but as a commission we could propose a plan from the city and MSU," Meadows said.

Commissioner Nancy Schertzing said the university should have more financial involvement in the partnership with the city.

"Who is absorbing the costs?" Schertzing said. "I think the institutional responsibility is important here, and that's coming from the back of my mind as an East Lansing taxpayer."

The commission also talked about improving relations between students and the East Lansing Police Department.

"I think there's got to be more interaction instead of groups against each other," Schertzing said. "It's essential."

The bond between students and police is important, said commissioner and university physician Dr. Beth Alexander.

"There's a danger in not trusting the police and feeling like they won't hold up to their integrity," Alexander said.

Raymond Beach Jr., the executive director for the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, proposed trying to make police officers more approachable to students.

Meadows also said it's important for students to be able to talk to police officers comfortably.

"If you go up to a police officer, you get pepper sprayed and that's not the way to handle it," Meadows said.