KSU in contact with police during parties

Partiers take a moment to pose for a picture with police on Saturday afternoon at Drinkin’ on Lincoln. Katie Roupe | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

Loud music and a few rowdy drinking games sum up the festivities at Drinkin’ on North Lincoln and Shermania on Saturday.

The block parties were much more subdued compared with College Fest the previous weekend. Police and students alike noticed the difference.

“There is nobody here,” senior sociology major Jim Johnson said. “I was expecting an atmosphere more like College Fest.”

Police who were patrolling the area said the streets were relatively quiet and so were their radios.

Police forces blanketed the city. Officers from Kent State, the city of Kent and state troopers patrolled both on foot and in cruisers throughout the day and night. Metro SWAT was on hand later in the evening as well.

“There seems like there are more riot police than partiers,” Johnson said.

Kent State spokesman Tom Neumann said the university was very happy with the relatively calm weekend. He and others from the university were at the Kent State police station monitoring the parties Saturday night.

“The university was in constant contact with the police all night,” Neumann said.

Shermania had fewer parties than Drinkin’ on North Lincoln, and many of them remained in backyards. Partygoers stayed off the sidewalks, out of the streets and drank on their lawns.

Law enforcement patrolling the area and the partiers had a relaxed interaction with one another. Officers on foot stopped at houses to talk with the students partying.

By 11 p.m. the parties and the students were winding down. State troopers were driving down Main Street, pulling drivers over and checking for drunken driving.

As opposed to the aftermath of College Fest, North Lincoln and Sherman streets were clean the next day.

Contact public affairs reporters Ted Hamilton at [email protected] and Caitlyn Wachovec at [email protected].