Cops: Wisconsin Football Edition
September 30, 2015 6:09 PM Subscribe
The Capital Times of Madison, WI follows city and university police minute by minute through a college football Saturday: out-of-control house parties, unexpected fire alarms, the game of "who lives here," BAC .273, and of course a little Big 10 football.
Man, don't live on Lathrop St.
But seriously, who pays for all this? Does UW kick back to the city for overtime, for the officers coming from other jurisdictions?
posted by madajb at 6:52 PM on September 30, 2015
But seriously, who pays for all this? Does UW kick back to the city for overtime, for the officers coming from other jurisdictions?
posted by madajb at 6:52 PM on September 30, 2015
Metafilter: Working toward an answer that won’t sound ridiculous or implicate his friends.
Seriously, though. This was a good read. I am glad you posted it. I do think it was interesting that they gave the street numbers of the houses.
posted by 4ster at 6:56 PM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seriously, though. This was a good read. I am glad you posted it. I do think it was interesting that they gave the street numbers of the houses.
posted by 4ster at 6:56 PM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
Reminds me of the TAL episode "#1 Party School in America" about Penn State.
posted by dismas at 7:02 PM on September 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by dismas at 7:02 PM on September 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
madajb: "But seriously, who pays for all this? Does UW kick back to the city for overtime, for the officers coming from other jurisdictions?"
Football weekends are a sales tax bonanza. But I'd expect there's an intergovernmental agreement of some sort about who kicks in how much. UW's "economic impact report" estimates that UW athletics generates about a billion dollars a year in statewide spending; around $50 million of that is tax revenue. It's very boosterish, but something similar is probably UW's starting point when negotiating with Madison about how much of football weekend security Madison should pay for vs. the University.
My college roommate was a paramedic who worked college football games in a stadium that seats 80,000. She said they averaged 1 heart attack per game, 1 fatality per season. Which is actually not so bad, considering lots of older, heavier guys out in bad weather drinking a lot of beer!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:24 PM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
Football weekends are a sales tax bonanza. But I'd expect there's an intergovernmental agreement of some sort about who kicks in how much. UW's "economic impact report" estimates that UW athletics generates about a billion dollars a year in statewide spending; around $50 million of that is tax revenue. It's very boosterish, but something similar is probably UW's starting point when negotiating with Madison about how much of football weekend security Madison should pay for vs. the University.
My college roommate was a paramedic who worked college football games in a stadium that seats 80,000. She said they averaged 1 heart attack per game, 1 fatality per season. Which is actually not so bad, considering lots of older, heavier guys out in bad weather drinking a lot of beer!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:24 PM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I live in the middle of a scene that's a lot like this on football Saturdays. I actually am not as appalled by the underage drinkers as by the middle-aged adults who get totally publicly shitfaced. It's age-appropriate behavior when you're 19. It's just sad when you're the 19-year-old's dad or mom.
A few weeks ago I had the brilliant thought that I could go to the gym during the football game and the pool would be totally empty. I hadn't factored in international students, all of whom seem to have had the same idea, so the pool was busy, and the walk back was harrowing. It's not often that I find myself surveying random passers by to try to figure out the likelihood that they're literally going to puke on me.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:38 PM on September 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
A few weeks ago I had the brilliant thought that I could go to the gym during the football game and the pool would be totally empty. I hadn't factored in international students, all of whom seem to have had the same idea, so the pool was busy, and the walk back was harrowing. It's not often that I find myself surveying random passers by to try to figure out the likelihood that they're literally going to puke on me.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:38 PM on September 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
4:20 p.m.
Police Center
"After eight minutes, No. 017 admits that he took two extended-relief Xanax — used to treat anxiety and panic disorders — this morning in addition to drinking alcohol and smoking pot.
He’ll get a ride home from an officer with a citation in his hand."
Dude!
posted by clavdivs at 7:59 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
Police Center
"After eight minutes, No. 017 admits that he took two extended-relief Xanax — used to treat anxiety and panic disorders — this morning in addition to drinking alcohol and smoking pot.
He’ll get a ride home from an officer with a citation in his hand."
Dude!
posted by clavdivs at 7:59 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's the little details, like the number of leading zeroes on the stickers for people getting arrested and waiting to have their picture taken that make me wonder what a close game would be like.
Plus, a whole lot of mystery kegs just lying around that nobody can explain. C'mon, guys, it's rain from the breweries in Milwaukee! Think up something! Not "I dunno how that keg got here."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:23 PM on September 30, 2015
Plus, a whole lot of mystery kegs just lying around that nobody can explain. C'mon, guys, it's rain from the breweries in Milwaukee! Think up something! Not "I dunno how that keg got here."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:23 PM on September 30, 2015
Can I collect up the mystery kegs and return them for their deposits?
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:30 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:30 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
I cannot tell a lie. When I was there, I partied while underage (on Langdon and Mifflin Streets), and my football season ticket freshman year at Camp Randall was in Section O.
I never got busted, but cops on patrol like this were not as big a presence in my day, even on Langdon, and there really wasn't a spotlight on fraternities, or anybody, having ragers like there is today. There had to be some super significant disturbance for the cops to show up.
posted by droplet at 8:46 PM on September 30, 2015
I never got busted, but cops on patrol like this were not as big a presence in my day, even on Langdon, and there really wasn't a spotlight on fraternities, or anybody, having ragers like there is today. There had to be some super significant disturbance for the cops to show up.
posted by droplet at 8:46 PM on September 30, 2015
Man, don't live on Lathrop St.
Lathrop St. is where all the frat houses are.
Shocker, I know.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:06 PM on September 30, 2015
Lathrop St. is where all the frat houses are.
Shocker, I know.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:06 PM on September 30, 2015
Edit: shit, I'm thinking of Langdon. Lathrop is just right by the stadium.
I'm sure the frat houses are models of temperance and propriety.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:10 PM on September 30, 2015
I'm sure the frat houses are models of temperance and propriety.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:10 PM on September 30, 2015
College town police officer is not a job I would want.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:45 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 9:45 PM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
I read the article in the FPP and the article youknowwhatpart posted.
The cynical part of me wants to say: "What an incredible waste of resources on a what is essentially a glorified babysitting operation."
But also: "Geez, if cops could be this even-handed and just hand out tickets, warnings, etc when some dude is selling loose cigarettes on the street."
But here's an interesting cross-border comparison. In the late 1990s, I was editing a student paper in Canada, not far from the US border. One day, two reporters from the Michigan Daily popped into the office.
They were working on an article about campus drinking and sports riots. They had decided to troop up to Canada to get an extra perspective on campus drinking and sports riots.
I gave them an honest answer, something like: "Football isn't a big deal here. Yeah, people like it if they like it. But compared to what you're talking about, no. So there aren't these big rituals around it. I mean, we don't have a stadium. It's just a field. And generally, on campus, there's drinking and stuff, but not on the scale you guys are doing it."
They seemed kind of disappointed - what they were describing about the things they saw and covered just seemed so extreme. And yeah, if you live in or near a student ghetto around any Canadian university, they will be partying and young drunken people fucking shit up from time to time.
But also, I think the 21 drinking age is kind of weird. It may prevent people from getting their ya-yas out for too long.
Talking to the Michigan Daily reporters was interesting - they were a daily broadsheet paper with a huge paid staff. I was one of about a dozen paid staff (from $60 to $150 a week) plus a bunch of volunteers putting out a weekly tabloid paper.
And all of this is a long way of saying the US sometimes does things bigger - and when it comes to football and campus debauchery, you guys are nonpareil.
I'm reminded of the time the Buffalo Bills played in Toronto and Bills fans discovered they couldn't tailgate properly.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:46 PM on September 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
The cynical part of me wants to say: "What an incredible waste of resources on a what is essentially a glorified babysitting operation."
But also: "Geez, if cops could be this even-handed and just hand out tickets, warnings, etc when some dude is selling loose cigarettes on the street."
But here's an interesting cross-border comparison. In the late 1990s, I was editing a student paper in Canada, not far from the US border. One day, two reporters from the Michigan Daily popped into the office.
They were working on an article about campus drinking and sports riots. They had decided to troop up to Canada to get an extra perspective on campus drinking and sports riots.
I gave them an honest answer, something like: "Football isn't a big deal here. Yeah, people like it if they like it. But compared to what you're talking about, no. So there aren't these big rituals around it. I mean, we don't have a stadium. It's just a field. And generally, on campus, there's drinking and stuff, but not on the scale you guys are doing it."
They seemed kind of disappointed - what they were describing about the things they saw and covered just seemed so extreme. And yeah, if you live in or near a student ghetto around any Canadian university, they will be partying and young drunken people fucking shit up from time to time.
But also, I think the 21 drinking age is kind of weird. It may prevent people from getting their ya-yas out for too long.
Talking to the Michigan Daily reporters was interesting - they were a daily broadsheet paper with a huge paid staff. I was one of about a dozen paid staff (from $60 to $150 a week) plus a bunch of volunteers putting out a weekly tabloid paper.
And all of this is a long way of saying the US sometimes does things bigger - and when it comes to football and campus debauchery, you guys are nonpareil.
I'm reminded of the time the Buffalo Bills played in Toronto and Bills fans discovered they couldn't tailgate properly.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:46 PM on September 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
"Pregaming"? Is that really what UW fans call it? Everywhere else I've been, the drinking before a game is tailgating. Pregaming is drinking before you go out to a bar or club at night.
posted by This Guy at 4:38 AM on October 1, 2015
posted by This Guy at 4:38 AM on October 1, 2015
I haven't heard pregaming used in the sense that the article says people use it. Pregaming is something specific: it's the drinking that you do to get ready for a social event, so you arrive already relaxed and buzzed. Tailgating, though, is also something specific. It has to involve a parked car, or at least to be done in a parking lot surrounded by people who are setting up their party out of the back of a car or truck. I don't think we have a general name for before-game drinking activities. That may be called "Saturday" around here.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:58 AM on October 1, 2015
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:58 AM on October 1, 2015
"After eight minutes, No. 017 admits that he took two extended-relief Xanax [...] He’ll get a ride home from an officer with a citation in his hand."
No. 017 is very lucky. I'm not sure about Wisconsin, but in Michigan, he just admitted to a felony (assuming he didn't have a prescription for that Xanax).
posted by Juffo-Wup at 6:14 AM on October 1, 2015
No. 017 is very lucky. I'm not sure about Wisconsin, but in Michigan, he just admitted to a felony (assuming he didn't have a prescription for that Xanax).
posted by Juffo-Wup at 6:14 AM on October 1, 2015
This must have been part of a P/R push from the UW police. There's a photo essay on wiscnews.com covering the exact same day.
Nothing wrong with it, just thought I'd post the link here so you have some images to go with the story.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:34 AM on October 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nothing wrong with it, just thought I'd post the link here so you have some images to go with the story.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:34 AM on October 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
From the first comment's link I absolutely must share this particular entry:
4:55 p.m.
Two female MSU students hold a male friend at each elbow who is having trouble making it to the stadium. “Why are these steps so steep?” he asks.
“It’s a sidewalk,” one of the girls explains.
He sees some alums and screams, “Go green!” They shout, “Go white!”
“I love MSU,” he says, and walks face first into a tree.
posted by zyxwvut at 8:29 AM on October 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
4:55 p.m.
Two female MSU students hold a male friend at each elbow who is having trouble making it to the stadium. “Why are these steps so steep?” he asks.
“It’s a sidewalk,” one of the girls explains.
He sees some alums and screams, “Go green!” They shout, “Go white!”
“I love MSU,” he says, and walks face first into a tree.
posted by zyxwvut at 8:29 AM on October 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
Well - you know - it's Madison. We love our drugs. And it's Wisconsin, so we love our alcohol.
posted by symbioid at 2:57 PM on October 1, 2015
posted by symbioid at 2:57 PM on October 1, 2015
This is completely unrelated to the point of the article but I need to just comment for the record on how very, very, very, very much I hate the red stripey Wisconsin fan overalls on anyone over the age of five. Thank you.
posted by gerstle at 3:40 PM on October 1, 2015
posted by gerstle at 3:40 PM on October 1, 2015
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posted by youknowwhatpart at 6:21 PM on September 30, 2015 [3 favorites]