Police and UW-Madison administrators will join students in Camp Randall for Saturday's football game, but they will not be there to simply cheer and jump around. Officials will also monitor the crowd as part of a larger plan to ensure student safety during and after the game.
According to City Council President Mike Verveer, District 4, plans to prevent mob behavior after Saturday's game began several months ago. UW-Madison administrators, University and Madison Police and government officials met to discuss measures to curb possible rowdiness.
\Among the issues are insuring that we have enough resources that all the celebrations are kept lawful to the greatest effect possible,"" Verveer said.
Riots occurred recently Minnesota State-Mankato, the University of Minnesota and The Ohio State University.
""We have a history of not having any athletic orientated riots ... Ohio State has a long pathetic history of athletic related rioting in Columbus,"" Verveer said.
According to Assistant Athletic Director Steve Malchow, there are added concerns in planning a safe football game for this Saturday.
""Camp Randall is a construction site this year; some gates aren't open and it's a night game ... people will enter and exit in the darkness,"" Malchow said.
In response to a riot there last year, Ohio State administrators put together a task force to study the problem. UW-Madison administrators received this task force's report for this season's crowd control.
According to Raymond Montemayor, leader of the Ohio State task force, most of the rioters were not students. He said providing other activities deters such behavior for students.
""It's important for universities to think about the students and what alternative activities they could offer,"" Montemayor said.
UW-Madison Police Captain Glen Miller said UW-Madison students have behaved well in past sporting events.
""I think that students are a little more active than they've been in past years, but I think it's a good kind of enthusiasm,"" Miller said.
Verveer said authorities have taken necessary precautions to ensure there are enough resources to deal with the large crowds.
""There's no reason why people can't run to State Street screaming, running and jumping up and down,"" Verveer said. ""Going beyond that gets scary.\
