UW-Madison student arrests, citations and ejections at Saturday’s Homecoming football game were some of the lowest of the season, according to game day statistics released by the University of Wisconsin Police Department. Dean of Students Lori Berquam was pleased with the results.
UWPD Lt. Bill Larson said the six students arrested and the 18 students ejected at Saturday’s game were low for a Homecoming game.
He said he thought the number of arrests and citations overall have been decreasing this season.
“We’re very happy to see that the numbers are steadily going down, and hopefully they can continue to go down further,” he said, adding UW-Madison’s Halloween celebrations’ falling on the same weekend had no affect on the game’s attendance.
Larson attributed the decrease to the early 11 a.m. kickoff time, as well as the Offices of the Deans of Students following up with students after they have been arrested or ejected from a game.
“I think people are understanding [the consequences] better and are getting into less trouble,” he said, mentioning the new “Show and Blow” program. The policy requires students with previous football game day citations or ejections to either blow .00 if under 21 or under .08 if of-age to enter the games, as part of ODOS efforts to curb unruly fan behavior.
Although Berquam agreed Show and Blow might have contributed, she also acknowledged requests from the football team, coaching staff and students to exhibit “Rolling out the Red Carpet” appropriae behavior as presented in a game day commercial by Mike Leckrone, the UW Marching Band director, as increasing students’ awareness of their own behavior.
Berquam, who attended Saturday’s football game and Freakfest on State Street, said she was proud of UW-Madison students this weekend.
“Overall, our concern is that none of our students get hurt,” she said. “I think that this weekend, with it being both Homecoming and Halloween, was one that could have been potentially pretty volatile, so I’m glad to hear that the numbers are down.”
