As 3,000 people attended Spring Weekend between April 7-9, Longwood University Police Department (LUPD) and Farmville Police Department (FPD) increased security to provide for the increased attendance on campus.
“We had around 1,500 people here for the admissions open house that Saturday, but estimated an overall total of 3,000 people that showed up for the event,” said Col. Robert Beach, LUPD chief of police.
Charges of underage alcohol possession, throwing of objects at a band member of one of the concerts and public intoxication on Saturday evening arose from the event, according to Beach.
While Farmville and Longwood have joint jurisdiction within the town of Farmville, both departments focused on maintaining their specific jurisdiction areas to maintain public safety and crowd control efforts in and around the campus, according to both Beach and FPD Chief A.Q. “Andy” Ellington.
LUPD made two student arrests during the event's time frame, the first consisting of a drunk in public charge, while the second was charged with both drunk in public and underage possession of alcohol, as stated in the 2017 LUPD Crime Report.
The report stated the first arrest occurred on Stubbs Mall on April 8 in the late afternoon; the second arrest occurred on South Main Street at 1:59 a.m. on April 9.
“No physical injuries or issues occurred during the event between Friday and Saturday,” said Beach.
Farmville officers made a few arrests of students during the same weekend who were allegedly drunk in public or found with the underage possession of alcohol.
“I am not sure of the total number of Longwood students that were arrested that weekend, but I do know that some arrests were made due to the involvement of alcohol,” said Ellington.
Ellington said he had officers “patrolling on foot in residential areas where students live such as St. George Street, Buffalo Street and Beech Street to keep an eye out for pedestrians under the legal drinking age that showed signs of intoxication or possessed alcohol under the legal age.”
According to Beach, LUPD designed three plans in preparation for this type of event: a Public Safety and Police Department Incident Action Plan, Communication Plan and Medical Plan.
The three plans are a “multi-page, ‘what if,’ document created by Lt. John Johnson, operational lieutenant for Longwood Police," said Beach.
Once the plans are completed for the event, a conference is held to brief all LUPD officers and emergency coordinators, as well as external organizations like Lancer Productions (LP), Lankford Student Union, FPD, Fire and Rescue Squad and the Virginia State Police. It is also meant to define resources, policies and procedures, and developing assignments for the event, according to Beach.
“Each morning of the event, the department briefs on the plan again and then functions out the plan during the event. After the event ends, we produce an ‘After Action Review’ of the event and produce a document that is given to the participants and everyone involved to plan for the next year,” said Beach.
In addition to creating a safe atmosphere, the performers have to be held accountable of the law as well.
“(LUPD makes sure the performers aren’t) drinking or smoking dope or anything against the law. If they do choose to do so, then our officers will respond to the action and an arrest will be made,” said Beach. “We work directly with Lancer Productions and the Student Union in viewing the individual contracts issued for each band, and we stipulate what can and can’t be done.”
To improve large events on campus in terms of security, LUPD will be holding meetings with Longwood organizations this summer to better secure the area of the concerts and to limit backpacks from the event. Backpacks usually contain illegal items on campus such as drugs and alcohol, according to Beach.
Unlike last year, there were no noise complaints placed.
“Last year, we (FPD) received numerous noise complaints about the music being too loud, but this year no calls came in complaining about noise,” said Ellington.
April 24, 5:38 p.m. - The story was corrected to reflect the accurate time for the second alcohol-related incident. Previously, the time said 2:39 a.m., this has been changed to say 1:59 a.m.
Spring Weekend saw two students charged with alcohol-related offenses by the Longwood University Police Department between April 7 and 9, according to Chief of Police Col. Robert Beach. Farmville Police Department Chief Andy Ellington confirmed their department charged students over the weekend, but couldn't provide an exact number.
