Quite a weekend for borough police
If you haven't noticed, there are swarms of young people wandering around the borough, meaning West Chester University is back in session. Most students moved back this weekend and classes started yesterday.
The West Chester police department, meanwhile, was busy dealing with all of the new students looking for something to do. From Monday, Aug. 20 to Sunday, Aug. 26, police arrested and charged 47 people, according to Police Chief Scott Bohn. Among the arrests, 24 were for underage drinking, 11 for public drunkenness, seven for disorderly conduct, four for noise violations and two for open bottle violations.
This doesn't mean, however, that all of the citations were given out to WCU students. The borough, as its leaders have often described, is now a destination spot with all of its bars and restaurants.
But one thing is clear, with the university back in session, the police force is busy, and activity is expected to increase, as new students get familiar with the borough.
The West Chester police department, meanwhile, was busy dealing with all of the new students looking for something to do. From Monday, Aug. 20 to Sunday, Aug. 26, police arrested and charged 47 people, according to Police Chief Scott Bohn. Among the arrests, 24 were for underage drinking, 11 for public drunkenness, seven for disorderly conduct, four for noise violations and two for open bottle violations.
This doesn't mean, however, that all of the citations were given out to WCU students. The borough, as its leaders have often described, is now a destination spot with all of its bars and restaurants.
But one thing is clear, with the university back in session, the police force is busy, and activity is expected to increase, as new students get familiar with the borough.
4 Comments:
The chief loves to complain about not having enough officers. Why don't they just double the fines for public drunkeness, DUIs, open container, underage and other alcohol related crimes, then take the extra money and hire new cops? Let the people who are causing the problems pay to police the problems.
Who are the "they" that should double the fines? The police? The district courts? The state (which tells local government what they can do)? The Borough?
My understanding is this:
1. The amount of the fines are set by state law; with the exception of certain local ordinances, the district courts can't simply impose a fine higher than what is set by state statute unless the legislature approves such an increase.
2. Even if the fines were increased, the amount that the borough recieves is also set by state law.
I believe the legislature should allow West Chester and other townships/boroughs/cities in the state with similar issues (ie. over the ratio of 1 license per 3,000 residents) to impose a 10 percent per drink tax. That would help fund additional police. If the bar owners don't like it, then they can pack up and leave town...
Look on the bright side... there were no "major" incidents... no one got shot, stabbed, or beaten to a pulp.
Aside from the normal drunken college student stupidity, the weekend seemed to go well.
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