MSU students might have a reputation for being partiers, but less than half of the 280 people arrested this past week were MSU students, according to a report from the East Lansing Police Department, or ELPD.
From the 280 persons issued citations, 42 percent had an MSU affiliation, and out of the 109 who were physically arrested, 38 percent were MSU students.
East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said MSU’s campaign to change its party image is a factor in the reduced number of student arrests during Fall Welcome.
“The out-of-the-town crowd comes in here with nothing invested in the community,” Wibert said. “It’s really hard because the city and the university have done a good job of reaching out to students. Students know the issues and have a better sense of community than they ever had.”
On Saturday, the busiest night of Fall Welcome according to Wibert, only four of the 27 people put in jail were affiliation with MSU. The most common citations were for minor in possession of alcohol and open alcohol.
The total calls for service and arrests slightly increased from 2009. However, the overall trend for the past few years has shown a decreasing number of calls for service.
The number of total calls for services was 716 in 2009 during the five days before the first day of classes. This year the number increased 844 calls for services, but still fell below 2007’s 1,141 calls in the three nights prior to the first day of classes.
In 2009, MSU’s calendar was amended for a later move-in for students on campus, which shortened Fall Welcome by a few days.
Wibert said the police find certain areas usually cause more trouble than others, namely the Bailey Neighborhood, the Oak Hill Neighborhood and the area around Beal Street. Wibert said students in the past typically hung around Cedar Village, however this year it was one of the quieter areas of campus.
“People figure out where to go from the people who have been there before,” Wibert said.
Social education sophomore Lauren Slowik said she noticed more police patrolling in Oak Hill Neighborhood, near Evergreen Avenue.
“I saw three cops on the street in 10 minutes from the front porch,” Slowik said.
Wibert said he saw progress in people not blocking streets, which has been a problem in the past during Fall Welcome.
“In the past, we’d have so many people that huge crowds would gather and we’d end up with blocked streets, and that hasn’t happened for two years,” Wibert said. “Now that’s progress.”
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said most of the arrests during Fall Welcome happen outside of MSU’s campus and are handled through ELPD.
“We had a successful move-in in terms of students coming back,” Taylor said. “We didn’t have anything major. We had some minor possession of alcohol – incoming freshmen students for who this is their first time away from home.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
