The number one factor leading to arrests is making illegal actions public, IU Police Department Capt. Jerry Minger said. \n“To do something illegal and then go out in public will draw attention to yourself,” Minger said. “If you are in your house and you’ve not done anything illegal or unusual to involve anyone outside of your house, there probably won’t be a reason for us.”\nAs the celebrations surrounding Little 500 take off, many students attest to an increase in police patrols. However, Minger says IUPD approaches this weekend like any other.\n“It’s pretty much business as usual for us,” Minger said. Last year, the week of Little 500 accounted for a total of 37 arrests. In comparison, the burst of nice weather in Bloomington in March led to 32 arrests in one weekend.\nIt’s also not the most concentrated effort of IUPD during the year.\n“We have many more people in a concentrated area working a football game than we ever have during Little 500 weekend,” Minger said. “It’s just that it’s spread out over an entire week.”\nAs far as what officers will be looking for, Minger said nothing will be different than the norm this weekend. \nIf police receive a call to investigate illegal activity at a student residence, they will come inside the house. If offenders are inside the yard, officers will have to speak with those people about their activity, Minger said. \nA charge of maintaining a common nuisance is likely to arise from illegal activity in such a situation, Minger said. In addition, partygoers may be charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor in the event that police discover underage drinking. \n“Say there was a party and there were people in the house drinking and they weren’t 21,” Minger said. “(Imagine) someone left that party and had an accident and it was determined that they had gotten their alcohol from that party.” In this situation, the owner of the home would be considered responsible.
Could you end up in jail? \nWhile police presence on any level can lower morale among partygoers, the action that really ruins a party is a trip to jail.\nMinger said the decision to take someone into custody is based on the discretion of the officer and the conditions of the offense.\n“Something in the circumstances or something during the incident has caused the officer to believe that incarcerating the individual is warranted,” Minger said. “It may be a safety issue or it may be their state \nof inebriation.”\nMinger gave the hypothetical example of an officer encountering a person who had consumed a small amount of alcohol. \n“They can smell the alcohol; they see you drinking beer, and you’re not inebriated,” Minger said. “OK, you’ve done something illegal. Do I just overlook it? At what point do you overlook crime?”\nThe decision often ends up depending on liability, Minger said.\n“As far as the state of inebriation, whenever the officer (decides not to take someone in to custody) he is somewhat liable for anything you do after that,” Minger said. IUPD has to consider potential lawsuits and charges of criminal negligence that could be filed if something happened. \nEven if someone is not taken into custody, Minger stressed that they can technically still be considered arrested. \n“That ticket is actually an affidavit representing a non-custodial arrest,” Minger said. “When you sign it you’re saying you promise to appear in court in exchange for not going to jail.”\nMinger said IUPD officers look at the affidavit as a good thing for both sides.\n“The officer doesn’t have to put this person in jail,” Minger said. “At the same time, he gets a mechanism to address the situation without causing them a large problem. Maybe (it is) sending a message to that person that you made a bad decision, but it’s not irretrievable.”
