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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

45 arrested during Welcome Week

The IU Police Department arrested 45 people for a total of 68 criminal charges during Welcome Week.

IUPD Lt. Andy Stephenson said this is down from previous years. Last year, IUPD arrested 50 people for a total of 76 criminal charges, and in 2013, 64 were arrested for a total of 90 total criminal charges.

Stephenson said he believed many of last week’s arrests could be attributed to inexperience on the part of new students.

“Welcome Week is a time when students are moving in,” he said. “Some are away from home for the first time. There aren’t any classes. We work with the University offices to try to give them some alternative fun.”

Stephenson said IUPD works with campus organizations like Residential Programming Services and Union Board to provide safe alternatives to Welcome Week parties, such as the 2015 IU Block Party on Saturday.

“We want people to have a good experience at IU,” Stephenson said. “We want people to value their experience here and become a part of the family here, but we want them to do it safely.”

At least 14 arrests, mostly related to alcohol, were made by IUPD on or near campus Saturday evening to early Sunday morning. However, Stephenson said he did not believe the IU Block Party, which returned to the Welcome Week line-up for its second year Saturday, caused additional issues for the department because of proper planning for the event.

“The medical staff is on-site, security staff is on-site, police officers are on-site along with Union Board staff and RPS staff,” Stephenson said. “It’s something that we can do to offer excitement, but there are restraints put in place.”

In addition to IUPD’s regular shift of on-duty officers, 15 extra officers were on hand during the Block Party, and an additional 63 officers volunteered time Aug. 19 for one of IUPD’s busiest days of the year: move-in day.

Stephenson, who acknowledged a clear increase in “party-type” behavior on campus,” during Welcome Week, said IUPD officers are not naïve to Welcome Week activity.

“Most of our police officers, the vast majority, are IU grads or are a part of our cadet program,” he said. “We know the culture. We were students here at one time.”

Despite the busy nature of the week, Stephenson said IUPD looks forward to Welcome Week every year.

“It’s just exciting to get the new students in and the returning students back, and we try to get to know as many students as we can,” Stephenson said.

From getting to know these students and his many years on the job, Stephenson said what he has noticed most throughout the year is that students fall into trouble when they leave each other alone.

“Stick with your friends and make sure everyone’s safe,” Stephenson said. “If four people go to an event, then four people should leave the event together. Three should never leave the one there.”

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