Police brace for Final Four
celebration
By Heather Mangold
City
Editor
As the women's basketball team travels to St. Louis
for the Final Four, local police plan to be prepared by increasing security
this weekend.
West Lafayette Police Chief Dan Marvin said the
West Lafayette police have already increased the number of officers
on duty during the last few women's basketball games.
"We like to take extra precautionary measures in
times such as these," said Marvin.
Marvin said the police department has been planning
to have extra officers on the roads for some time.
"We've planned ahead," said Marvin.
Marvin said he did not want to publicize the specific
plans that the police department had to keep the public under control.
West Lafayette police are not the only law enforcers
taking precautions.
Capt. Ron Fosnaugh of the Purdue police said his
department was looking for the best results during the final weekend
of the basketball season.
Fosnaugh said this weekend's events are like other
potentially hazardous activities that the police have to deal with.
Police wait for the people to be active, and if that happens, the police
will respond accordingly, said Fosnaugh.
Following the team's 62-45 women's basketball victory
in the NCAA tournament against the Duke Blue Devils in 1999, thousands
of students hit the streets of West Lafayette to celebrate. Students
started multiple bonfires and blocked streets in the midst of their
celebrations, causing between $10,000 and $15,000 in damages to University
property. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds and to keep them away
from bonfires throughout campus.
West Lafayette and Purdue police responded to the
crowd with a riot team that was organized to assist them. The riot team
consisted of local police agencies such as the sheriff's department
and the Lafayette city police.
At the time, Lt. Carol Baunach of the Purdue police
said the police had expected some of the trouble to occur but did not
anticipate it to be as extreme.
Fosnaugh said the police are taking necessary precautions
to ensure public safety this year.
"Hopefully all the people will celebrate in a responsible
way," said Fosnaugh.
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