At its peak hour last year, the Mifflin Street Block Party reached about 10,000 people, according to Madison police. This was down from an estimated 15,000 the year prior.
Despite this decline, total arrests increased from 263 to 366. Police said the majority of their attention was focused on minor crimes, such as drinking citations.
“To my knowledge, there were no serious injuries or property damages reported,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. Pleasant as this news is, overall arrests at Mifflin still greatly surpassed those of Madison’s other major festival associated with drinking. The total arrests at Mifflin were greater than the total arrests at Freakfest 2006 and 2007 combined.
Whether these arrests were a result of stricter enforcement by police or general malfeasance by those involved, Mifflin is still focused heavily on mass consumption of alcohol, meaning that the potential for violent crimes and robbery is always present. Such a threat is the primary reasoning behind the Madison Police Department’s implementation of increased street-level camera surveillance for Mifflin Street Block Party 2008.
Additionally, the recent murder of Brittany Zimmermann only forces the hand of the MPD even further. Thousands of people wandering the area with impaired senses, only several blocks removed from Zimmermann’s Doty street residence, creates precedence for concern. Such proactive measures are wise for a department facing difficulties obtaining leads in a case that seemingly occurred under normal conditions. The potential risks and political implications at Mifflin are too great to avoid these cautionary measures.
There is no doubt that police will be extremely strict in their enforcement of laws during Mifflin. Increased noise restrictions and suggestions to minimize the amount of moving from house to house will lead to higher concentrations of drinking students, and despite Mifflin’s recent history lacking in violent crimes, unlocked doors and intoxication only invite disaster. The MPD is doing its best to prevent such disaster.
If nothing more, the presence of these cameras will likely force students to be more cautious—say what you will about police policies during Mifflin, but they are still the law. Despite the desire to enjoy themselves and exercise mass consumption of alcohol one last time before finals, students must realize the current state of Madison and act accordingly.
