University Police were busy this weekend patrolling an extended jurisdiction in response to resident complaints about rowdy parties.
UP gave a total of 36 citations in the area bordered by Sherman and Ridge avenues, and Foster and Simpson streets — a region they previously did not patrol. Under the normal boundaries, UP only would have issued five of the 36 citations, said Lt. Nicholas Parashis of UP.
In an e-mail sent to Northwestern students Friday about the off-campus situation, William Banis, vice president for student affairs, wrote, “There simply is no excuse for the inconsiderate and rude behavior that, unfortunately, some Northwestern students have displayed recently.”
The e-mail warned that university officials could notify parents of students cited or arrested for violations, and that they are taking action against any apartments or houses identified as “problem locations.”
Some Evanston residents said student behavior improved this weekend. Greg Lisinski, of the 2000 block of Pratt Court, partly credits the change to increased police presence.
Lisinski said this weekend was a “major” change from previous weeks that students “rampaged” through his neighborhood.
In previous weeks students tore through the neighborhood and treated the area as an extension of campus and not a neighborhood, he said. These problems went beyond infractions such as throwing beer cans, including making threats to residents, he said.
But this weekend the activity of students was subdued for the first time this academic year, Lisinki said. Students still were out but were not as rowdy, and although police presence likely helped the situation, there are more important issues that really will solve the problem, he said.
“The No. 1 factor is for students to understand this is our neighborhood and our community,” Lisinski said. “This will make them better neighbors.”
Friday started out quietly, but the weekend was busy in part because of Saturday’s night football game, Parashis said.
“It was kind of weird that Friday seemed to be a little less busy than Saturday, ” Parashis said.
Typically Friday nights are not as quiet as they were this weekend, but Saturday was closer to normal, he said.
Parashis attributed the lower amount of problems Friday to fliers notifying the neighborhood that UP would enforce all violations in the area.
Jessica Donnelly, of the 900 block of Hamlin Street, along with other concerned neighbors, said she talked to students Friday about weekend parties and received an immediate response.
“The students on Hamlin Street have risen to the occasion — and above it — and have extended themselves to the community in a very thoughtful manner,” she said.
Sunday at 8 a.m., Weinberg senior Ben Rinaker and his roommates cleaned up plastic cups, cans and broken bottles not only from their yard but also from neighboring yards. Donnelly even bought doughnuts and bagels for the early-rising work crew.
“Our problem isn’t really with the police,” Rinaker said. “Our problem was our relationship with the neighbors, which is really good now. … We hadn’t talked to them, so we thought everything was OK between us. But that lack of communication was the problem.”
The Daily’s Erin Ailworth and Matt Lopas contributed to this report.
