In anticipation of the influx of visitors and frequent social events typical of Green Key, Safety and Security and the Hanover Police Department plan to increase their presence on campus this weekend.
According to lead investigator Lauren Cummings '72, Safety and Security's primary response to the party weekend will be to increase the number of officers patrolling "both for routine patrols and for providing student services."
This increase in patrols is partially due to the large number of out-of-town alumni and visitors that traditionally flock to Dartmouth for the weekend.
"Like all big weekends, Green Key will bring quite a number of visitors to our campus," Cummings said.
According to Cummings, Safety and Security will be particularly watchful for non-students who may not be familiar with the Green Key scene. "Strangers to our campus may become lost or disconnected from their friends and hosts, especially if alcohol is a factor," he said.
The Hanover Police Department is also mindful of the risks and potential for illegal behavior that traditionally come with Green Key weekend, although the department is no more concerned this year than in past years, said Police Chief Nick Giaccone.
"We're really not doing that much different other than adding a couple of extra shifts," he said.
Hanover Police and Safety and Security will not be officially collaborating or taking directions from each other, according to Cummings, but he noted that Safety and Security has "an excellent working relationship with the Hanover Police."
One significant addition to this spring's Green Key weekend will be the return of Phi Delta Alpha's block party, an event that has been absent from Webster Avenue since the fraternity's temporary de-recognition in the winter of 2000. Safety and Security officers will close the road to traffic for tomorrow afternoon's event and will mingle with party-goers to provide crowd control, according to Cummings.
He does not predict any incidents at the party. "We have enjoyed several block parties in the past and anticipate nothing unusual about this one," he said.
Hanover police and Safety and Security will also monitor Friday night's performance by the "Mighty Mighty Bosstones" in Leede Arena. According to Giaccone, the police department will supply eight officers, double their normal concert coverage, at the request of the College.
Both departments anticipate a general rise in illegal behavior as compared to normal weekends, but they note that this is typical of Dartmouth "big weekends."
"There's a normal increase," said Giaccone, "but nothing that is out of the ordinary."
Cummings agreed. "There may be a few more incidents than we normally encounter on a weekend," he said, "but we expect nothing unusual on the horizon for this Green Key when compared to Keys past."
Last year, Safety and Security received 73 complaints over the weekend, and in 2001 they received 51, varying from vandalism and theft to alcohol-related incidents to lewd and lascivious behavior.
One difference in this year's Green Key will be the presence of automatic door locks on dorms, a feature that had not been implemented by last spring.
"Access control is another tool in our kit of ways to provide for community safety," Cummings said. Although Safety and Security had previously locked all dorms during major party weekends, students circumvented the security measure by propping doors open.
Cummings' primary concern going into Green Key is student safety. "The thing I would most like to stress," he said, "is the need for every member of our community to look out for each other this weekend."
