Heavy police presence will again be out in Ann Arbor following national championship game
Police stand outside the Hatcher Graduate Library Sunday morning watching the celebrations on The Diag on the University of Michigan's campus.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Ann Arbor police will keep a large, visible presence in the city following Monday night’s basketball game and seek to continue to mostly peaceful celebrations seen Saturday.
Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said there was just one man arrested for disorderly conduct following the University of Michigan men’s basketball team’s victory of Syracuse University in the Final Four. With an estimated 1,500 people cheering on The Diag and a lot of happy, loud revelers snaking their way through Ann Arbor streets after the game, she said only having one arrest made for a “great weekend.”
“Everyone was really happy and excited and responsible on Saturday, which was great,” she said. “We expect the same excitement and cheering (Monday).”
Ann Arbor Fire Department officials said four couches were set on fire in the wake of the Wolverines’ victory, but police do not appear to be criminally investigating those incidents. Bush told AnnArbor.com the fires are all being investigated by the fire department to this point.
Police were out in force in the city Saturday night and Sunday morning, with a particularly heavy force on South University Avenue. The one arrest made after the game took place outside of Good Time Charley’s, near the corner of South University Avenue and Church Street.
Bush said a 25-year-old Ann Arbor man was asked to leave the bar and was being escorted out by a bouncer when he became belligerent. Bush said the man told the bouncer he was going to hit him, but the bouncer took him to the ground before he had a chance. The takedown occurred in front of an Ann Arbor police lieutenant, who took the 25-year-old man into custody.
Three other men were arrested at the BTB Cantina, located above Good Time Charley’s, for disorderly conduct early Saturday morning as well, Bush said. Alcohol was involved in all the arrests from the weekend.
Police are expecting another large crowd to take to the streets following Monday night’s game, regardless of the outcome of the game.
Bush said there would be a large, visible police presence on South University Avenue and other locations throughout the city, much as there was after Saturday’s game.
University of Michigan Police spokeswoman Diane Brown told AnnArbor.com Sunday there will be more officers from that police force on staff Monday as well.
Personnel from numerous Washtenaw County police agencies will be in Ann Arbor to assist with policing the area following the game. Among the agencies are the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Saline Police Department, Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety and Ypsilanti Police Department, according to Ann Arbor police officials.
The biggest difference — besides the increased stakes of Monday’s game — between Saturday night and Monday night could be the weather. While the temperature was cool late Saturday night, mostly clear skies made for ideal celebration conditions.
However, Monday could be different. The National Weather Service forecasts a 70 percent chance of rain, with showers and possibly a thunderstorm likely before 9 p.m. Temperatures are forecasted to be as low as 41 degrees with wind between 8 and 18 miles per hour.
Bush said the weather could have an affect on how many people take to outdoor celebrations, or expressions of frustration, after the game.
“We want to encourage people to be safe … the rain is definitely not on our side today,” she said.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Jon Wax
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 9:44 p.m.
jeez this stupid pc website: officers... wear your steel toes. 0% tolerance for disturbing the peace. give it to em good. mods: quit being so soft. just because you're under 30 and have never been anywhere but college doesn't mean that rioting students should be protected from the opinions of the locals. mods, er kids... some of us were here the last time things "got out of hand". you guys were prolly still in diapers. so yeah... officers: wear your steel toes and don't give em an inch. Peace Wax
Mrs.H
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:55 p.m.
Let's have a classy celebration for a team of classy players coaches and the whole University of Michigan Athletic department! We love you Michigan basketball team! WE ON! LETS GO BLUE! HAIL TO THE VICTORS! -HeartOfChampions-
ccsummer
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
Having to bring on all these additional police forces at what must be a huge expense, is a sad commentary on the willingness of students to basically "riot" over a sports event. And yes, I'm aware of the fact that U of M students have gotten "unruly" at times practically since the founding of the University. I can understand a joyous celebration on the occasion of a big sports win, but I can't understand destruction and drunken belligerence and it happens whether the team wins or looses.
Solitude
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 12:11 a.m.
Young people generally model the behavior of their elders. SEE "Vancouver Hockey Riot, 2011." It's a sad commentary alright, but you can't pin it just on students.
thinker
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:38 p.m.
I am really upset that the police are not investigating or prosecuting the couch burners! It is dangerous and just plain wrong and illegal!
Solitude
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 12:07 a.m.
There are better things to be upset about. As long as they burned their OWN couches, and not the innocent couches of others....
Mike
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:19 p.m.
Let's pretend it didn't happen.
Alum
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:38 p.m.
Students, please. This is Ann Arbor not East Lansing. We have more class than that.
Mike
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:17 p.m.
Actually, it is because you've had nothing to celebrate? Look at all that class you had in 1989. Enough with this "we are better" attitude.
Solitude
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 6:42 p.m.
Hopefully, all will go well and the home team will prevail. If it couldn't be Sparty.... : ) "Personnel from numerous Washtenaw County police agencies will be in Ann Arbor to assist with policing the area following the game. Among the agencies are the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, Saline Police Department, Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety and Ypsilanti Police Department, according to Ann Arbor police officials." That's a lot of expensive O.T. being paid by non-Ann Arbor taxpayers. The equitable thing, and it probably occurs, would be for the university to reimburse each department for the costs involved.
djacks24
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
Hopefully Ann Arbor is charging UM for the extra manpower or sending them a bill like they did back in 1989 for any damages that occur? "The police, in turn, blamed the University for not controlling students, and eventually sent Michigan a bill for damage incurred." http://annarbor.com/sports/arrests-injuries-and-84000-in-damage-followed-michigans-1989-national-title-win/
Eep
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 6:45 p.m.
The better question would be if the University ever actually paid the bill that they were sent in 1989. They may have, just to avoid the bad publicity, but I'm having a hard time thinking of a legal theory where they could have been held accountable for this damage.
Ciaphas
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 5:39 p.m.
@MRunnner I agree with you let this stay classy. @Mark-Really, your eyesight must be going, none of the Police Officers have anything in their hands, and how would you look after a 16 hour work day, wearing 25 lbs of gear, and your were physically exhausted dealing with Hash Bash and crowd control. It is my understanding is that they acted professionally all day under less than desirable conditions. Nice try at bashing however if that makes you feel better.
Mark
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 4:58 p.m.
Ciaphas,... Respectfully,.. where you there around the time this picture was taken Sunday morning? I was,... I can tell you that the officer 3rd from the right was holding his billy club in his right hand across mid-section, resting in his left hand. I was unable to tell what the office on the far left was holding, but it was something about that long. As for your comments on their uniforms,.... why the need for 25 lbs of gear. And 16 hours days,.. please, get real! Not a single one of those officers were dressed alike. At least every one had a different uniform piece on. State police still carry just their sidearms, an extra clip, and a pair of cuffs. And that's it! (Some opt to carry a flashlight, but that's their option.) OH,. and they still wear their long or short dress shirts with ties, and beautiful tailored, creased pants and dress shoes EVERY day they patrol. For whatever reason, the State Police department hasn't seen the need to militarize their department as has the AAPD. Call if bashing if you like,.. but if you had read my post correctly, while I did use the word 'act', the thrust of my post was about how they looked. I just call'em as I see them. There's no arguing their inconsistency,...
Ann English
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 10:48 p.m.
At least two of them do hold something, and they're not in yellow vests. One is holding something long upright, as one end of it rests on the ground. Another, we can assume, is also holding something long and thin, from his hand postions. What ever they're holding blends in with their dark clothing, with no light-colored vests to contrast with what they're holding.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 5:37 p.m.
The University is beginning to read like a public nuisance. Maybe the city prosecutor should shut it down. ;)
Mark
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 5 p.m.
Funny,.. the officers in the picture above look more like Southwest Airlines ramp grunts than police officers. Remember when police officers actually looked processional,..?? A lot easier to respect someone who looks and acts professional than one that looks a thug holding a billy club for little or no reason,....
Solitude
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 6:38 p.m.
Yeah, those florescent yellow safety vests look awfully menacing and thug-like. Would you wear your "processional" uniform to work a gigantic crowd of drunk college students, or would you save it for an actual procession?
huh7891
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 5:09 p.m.
Huh your looking at U of M PD ...LOL! But what are you expecting North Korea military formation?
MRunner73
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 4:43 p.m.
Please students: No couch burning win or lose! Have fun, have a blast but not litteraly. GO BLUE!!