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Police prepare for St. Pat’s

WHITEWATER — Kids these days.

They’re just not like they used to be—and that’s probably a good thing.

Whitewater’s city and university police departments are gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day. And while Wednesday’s weather might increase the number of people inclined to head for the bars, St. Patty’s Day just isn’t the boozy free-for-all it used to be.

“In the last few years, it really hasn’t been that much of an event,” said UW-Whitewater Police Chief Matthew Kiederlen.

Wednesday’s weather, however, is predicted to be sunny and about 60 degrees, and likely will increase the number of students inclined to drink.

“There are a lot of variables to the turnout, it sort of ebbs and flows,” said City of Whitewater Police Chief Jim Coan.

Here’s how it works in Whitewater.

“The bars open early, some at 6 a.m. or 7 a.m.,” said Coan. “Students come out early to drink, and then they rest or go to class and go back to the bars later.”

They go to class? Really?

“It seems inevitable in the course of day that we hear reports over the scanners of the university police being asked to remove an intoxicated student from class,” Coan said.

Kiederlen confirmed this, saying that his officers had, on occasion, removed kids from class or a professor’s office for being drunk.

Then, it’s back to the bars for t-shirt giveaways, green Mardi Gras beads and funny hats.

The St. Patrick’s Day problem is partly a matter of perception.

Because drinkers start so early, they’re more likely to display obnoxious behaviors earlier in the day.

“People are surprised to see bar patrons wandering around intoxicated during the day,” Coan said. “They sort of marvel at it. But it’s the same behavior we see at night.”

That behavior ranges from the shouting and whooping that traditionally accompanies drinking in a college town to obnoxious acts of minor property damage to urinating in public.

Kiederlen said his office prepares for the worst, even if it’s not expected. He’ll have extra patrol officers out on Wednesday night.

The city’s police force will “certainly be adequately staffed,” and the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department will have cars available nearby, as well.

Janesville Police Department’s Lt. Keith Lawver said his department doesn’t notice a significant increase in police calls on St. Patrick’s Day, but officers do keep a closer eye on the bars.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office is using grant money to deploy extra patrols from St. Patrick’s Day through the weekend, according to a news release.

In 2008, there were 134 crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Out of those, 50 people were killed in crashes where the driver or motorcyclist had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.