Police and students co-existed ""peacefully"" at the 38th annual block party, even though arrests skyrocketed by more than 100 compared to 2006.
The Madison Police Department reported 366 partygoers were arrested—mostly for alcohol-65related charges—on Mifflin, whereas last year 263 were arrested and in 2005, 225 people were handcuffed. Despite the gradual increase in arrests, police said the event peaked at about 10,000 people and came and went with few problems.
According to City Council President Mike Verveer, police made more arrests because they had nothing else to deal with. He said the number one ticket issued was for open intoxicants. MPD Chief of Police Noble Wray said the planning that went into the event played a big part of how police were able to carry out their strategies and maintain control.
Wray said the force was prepared for every possible scenario. Mounted patrol was used for the first time ever at the party, but Wray said about the same number of officers patrolled the street as in years past.
""Any time you have close to 10,000 people in a small area, you're always concerned that someone could get hurt or you could have a crowd-control situation that could develop,"" Wray said. ""As long as [students] can have their event and no one gets hurt ... that's our ultimate goal.""
MPD Sgt. Dave McCaw said part of the reason why the event has gone smoothly the past few years is because students and police have an understanding before the day even begins. He said dozens of police officers spilled onto the street early in the morning and established their presence. He also said campus police and Dane County officers arrived in the afternoon, once the crowd hit its peak.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said although arrests increased, Mifflin was ultimately a non-issue.
""About 10,000 people ... pretty much a typical number of arrests, so nothing [was] unusual,"" Cieslewicz said. ""I haven't been concerned [about Mifflin] since the first year I was mayor.""
