The Berkeley Beacon

Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News

Media Credit: Beacon file folder Many students might remember last year´s riots at Fenway Park (top) and in front of the Little Building (bottom). Boston Police are hoping preemptive efforts on their end and through cooperation with colleges will prevent having damage as severe last year happen again.

The Boston Police Department (BPD) has increased security during the Major League Baseball playoffs this year in response to riots that broke out during last year's playoff games in October and the Patriots' Super Bowl win in February.

The department plans to staff a command center, use remote cameras to monitor streets near Fenway Park, and enforce a zero-tolerance policy for public drinking and rowdy behavior, according to Beverly Ford, the director of media relations for the BPD.

"If we need to make arrests, we will. We are prepared for that," she said in a telephone interview. "We don't anticipate making a lot of arrests, but if it's necessary, we will."

Ford also said the BPD is working with local colleges to alert students of this zero-tolerance policy.

"The schools have really stepped up to the plate and assured us that they'll enforce the zero tolerance policy," she said.

Three Emerson students and four Northeastern students were arrested last year during celebrations after the Boston Red Sox defeated the Oakland Athletics in game five of the division series. Similar riots broke out after the Patriots won the Super Bowl, leaving one man dead and several others injured. James Grabowski, 21, of West Newbury, was killed after he was struck by a car that plowed through a crowd of hundreds on Symphony Road.

"There were officers in one area where they were trying to handle one problem, and something would break out in another area," Ford said of last year's riots.

The police plan on implementing many of the same strategies used during the Democratic National Convention, which was held in July, to keep the public safe and prevent rioting during this sports season.

The BPD plans on reassessing its strategy after each playoff game and adding additional security as needed. This way, its force will get stronger each night, as it reevaluates the procedures and problems of the night before, Ford said.

Continued...

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