YET ANOTHER of the University's long-standing traditions is being threatened this year -- and no its not ties and sundresses at football games or random attacks on fraternities. This time the target is Foxfield Races, which to many students and alumni is one of the best times they had at the University. Every year local law enforcement and Foxfields' staff publicly discuss safety at the event and make claims that new zero-tolerance policies will be enforced, but unfortunately this year that has been taken to the extreme. Instead of working with students, the target -- however much it is being denied -- is the students.
While it is understandable that Foxfield would wish to improve its security, the methods that were discussed before a meeting of Greek system leaders last Tuesday evening border on those of a police state. There was certainly some genuine concern for students' well-being and for educating students and other guests on the new policies and on safety in general, but overall these efforts seemed to be secondary or to serve as a warning. Most of the meeting was instead focused on the new ways in which the ABC and by extension the Charlottesville Police Department will be targeting students. Foxfield's certainly does not view the changes in this manner, but the message was clear nonetheless.
Some of these policies are certainly rational, for example having former and off-duty state policemen checking ID's to get wristbands, and not allowing glass containers to be brought in. In addition, Foxfield will be providing a first-aid tent where water and cots will be available for people who need them. Finally, the University's own Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team, ADAPT, will be running a similar tent and Foxfields' sponsors will be providing free non-alcoholic drinks to registered designated drivers. All of these policies are great, but the real changes are what is truly surprising.
According to Charlottesville Police Lieutenant John Teixeira, typically ,about 35 to 40 uniformed and undercover police officers manage safety for the event, in conjunction with several members of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and a number of privately hired security personnel. This year, in addition to the privately hired security guards there will be approximately 250 uniformed and undercover police officers at Foxfields. In addition -- Teixeira did not specify whether this was included in the 250 mentioned above -- there will be 54 ABC officials making rounds at the event.
Though neither the Charlottesville Police Department nor the ABC will have specific quotas on numbers of arrests or summons to be issued, the extra preparations they announced clearly indicate their expectations: every single bus that arrives at Foxfield will be boarded by a police officer who will warn students who have been drinking not to get off. Then, several more police officers will be waiting outside the bus to check guests getting off for public drunkenness. Inside the orange section, where most students congregate, police vans will be periodically stationed and will be making shuttle runs to the local jail once full. Finally, there will be a video link-up with the local magistrate so that he or she can officially determine whether an individual is drunk or disturbing the peace.
Virginia alcohol possession and public drunkenness laws are some of the toughest in the nation, yet there is often no clear line and thus a situation is left up to the officer's discretion. This in and of itself is not a problem, except when officers are preconditioned to expect it and to expect the need to make numerous arrests. This is especially concerning when the incident that apparently pushed things over the edge last year was a huge fight started by a group of Law students, not undergraduates, yet the focus seems to be on us.
Foxfield Races Marketing Director Anne Browne as well as several other Foxfield's officials also spoke at the meeting, and stressed that they are trying to make a safer and more enjoyable environment for all involved. However, this intention has been misinterpreted by either the Charlottesville Police Department or far more likely by the Virginia ABC -- as seen in events earlier this year -- and the focus has been changed from improving safety to punishing students for drinking, regardless of whether they are legally of age.
In the end it would have been better for all parties involved to better connect with students at the University and at other schools. The Foxfield Races has certainly made efforts to do this by reaching out to the Greek councils, and for those efforts should be commended. These efforts appear to be secondary at best, however, which is disappointing as closer cooperation with Greek and other student leaders leading up to Foxfields could likely have generated a better solution than a massive police presence. The message of these changes to students is to be careful, because police and ABC officers expect to make numerous arrests. Instead of targeting students, however, Foxfield and Charlottesville and ABC officials should be working with them.
Allan Cruickshanks is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at acruickshanks@cavalierdaily.com.
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