Hanover Police is more active on campus during Homecoming than the average weekend, in an effort to keep the community safe. Despite the increased presence, the department does not intend to hinder the College's age-old traditions, acting police chief Francis Moran said.
"My opinion personally and professionally is that Homecoming is a wonderful weekend," Moran said.
Some traditions, like touching the bonfire, pose a public safety issue, so the police must address the attempts to prevent students from being harmed. The purpose is not to cause trouble for students, Moran said.
"Obviously our goal is that a student doesn't trip and fall into the fire, and that the structure doesn't somehow come down or an object come out of it and hurt that individual," Moran said. "From a common sense standpoint, touching the fire doesn't make any sense. From a safety standpoint it doesn't make any sense."
Despite the few freshmen each year who attempt to touch the fire, the vast majority of students seem to celebrate safely. Moran said that moderate drinking lowers the risks of harming yourself or others.
Safety and Security director Harry Kinne said that the extra security provided by Hanover Police and other law enforcement agencies is "imperative" to maintaining a safe environment, simply due to the large number of people and the number of events.
"We always increase staffing levels during Homecoming weekend," Kinne said. "Based on 10 years of experience, the number of people we have operating is sufficient."
Combined law enforcement and campus security efforts for Homecoming ensure that no one gets hurt, preserving the College's ability to hold Homecoming and continue its traditions.
"[The bonfire] is a big Dartmouth tradition, so rather than change the tradition, we want to make sure that the tradition goes on," Kinne said. First-year undergraduate advisor Gustavo Mercado '16 said he discussed safety procedures with his residents prior to the weekend, informing them of the increased presence of Hanover Police and of the College's policies and disciplinary procedures.
"I do think that Hanover police being present at these events is a major deterrent for these types of traditions," Mercado said. "However, if people really want to keep the tradition alive, I doubt Hanover Police would be too off-putting."
In addition to patrolling the stadium during the game, Hanover Police will also put up barricades around the fire to prevent people from getting too close and getting burned. While the barricades are put in place to deter rambunctious students, they also shield the police officers from the flames, Moran said.
The police also put temporary and portable lights along the Green in order to prevent thefts or assaults by perpetrators who take advantage of the darkness, he said.
In the context of previous years, recent Homecoming celebrations have tended to feature less chaotic student behavior.
"It may have something to do with people being a little bit more moderate with their drinking earlier in the night," Moran said. "Some of it also deals with the deterring factor of having security and police present."
Because of the vast participation in revelry throughout the weekend, the police must allot a certain amount of security to react to sudden problems on campus.
"Crazy things happen," Moran said. "People do weird things. We need to be sufficiently staffed to be able to respond to problems."
