As Dartmouth students get ready to enjoy themselves at this year's Homecoming weekend festivities, Safety and Security, Hanover Police and the Hanover Fire Department will simultaneously prepare to increase their presence on campus to keep students and visitors safe, according to interim Director of Safety and Security Keiselim Montas.
Homecoming weekend sees more police activity than ordinary weekends due to the influx of people on campus, Montas said.
Eleven students were arrested for various offenses during Homecoming weekend last year. These offenses, six of which occurred during Friday night's Homecoming bonfire, included unlawful possession and intoxication, disorderly conduct and the manufacture, sale and possession of false identification, The Dartmouth previously reported.
In previous years, there have been as many as 23 incidents reported for intoxication, vandalism, trespassing and resisting arrest during the weekend, Montas said.
Montas added that alcohol almost always plays a role in the incidents that occur.
Every member of Safety and Security will be on duty during the bonfire in order to control the crowd and look out for safety hazards, Montas said.
Hanover police and 12 members of Green Mountain Security, a contract security company that was hired for the event, will assist Safety and Security.
Security costs are covered by both Safety and Security's budget and a specific budget that the College has allocated for Homecoming weekend, according to Montas.
The Hanover Fire Department is expecting an increase in the number of emergency calls during the bonfire regarding "anything and everything from heart attacks to intoxication to trips and falls," Hanover Fire Chief Roger Bradley said.
Firemen will be stationed around the Green in case of medical emergencies. Last year, two students were hospitalized after they burned themselves on the dying embers of the bonfire early Saturday morning, The Dartmouth previously reported. Neither student was arrested since the incident occurred in the middle of the night, at which time police officers were no longer in the area.
Firemen will also be looking out for ashes flying off the bonfire, as they could be hazardous to attendees if they spread with the wind, according to Hanover Fire Captain Bert Hennessy.
While most Homecoming incidents occur during Friday's bonfire, Safety and Security will also increase their presence at the Homecoming football game Saturday morning, according to Montas. Six to eight officers will be on duty, an increase from the four to five officers typically at Dartmouth football games.
Despite these security precautions, Montas said he looks forward to students and alumni enjoying themselves in a safe manner during the football game and other Homecoming events.
"Everything we do is precautionary," he said. "In the event that something worse happens, we want to be prepared to deal with it."
Kevin Xiao contributed to the reporting of this article.
