Police: Call rate remains same

By Liz Weeker and Andrea Barrack

Despite an arrest this weekend that stirred neighbors and called for police backup, authorities say their presence in the surrounding neighborhoods and the number of noise complaints have been typical for the first few weeks back.

"This year things have actually been slowing down at around 1 a.m., much more so than in prior years," said Lt. Brian Lane, who typically covers the weekend graveyard shifts.

Last Saturday, Lane and the Associated Students of Santa Clara University set out for their annual Walk About campaign, knocking on doors throughout the community and distributing brochures with information about party violations. The event is aimed at improving community relations among students, neighbors and police alike.

The brochures answered basic questions, such as: "If, as a party host, I receive a Loud Party Notification, what is my obligation?" They also encouraged citizens to assist police in reporting violations of any of the seven misdemeanors listed.

The night before Lane and Associated Students hit the streets, police lined an entire block on Lafayette Street shortly after 21 officers were dispatched to a request for backup at a party scene.

According to authorities, officers initially responded to a resident's request that police help break up a party at his home that had gotten out of control. When police arrived at the scene, a 16-year-old high school student, not affiliated with Santa Clara, was destroying a fence. When officers called out to the teen, he fled to a nearby house party on the 500 block of Lafayette Street and Bellomy.

Police followed him to the house where he resisted arrest, striking an officer. The two officers were later treated for minor injuries.

The Santa Clara District Attorney's Office said that the arrested teen made no complaint against authorities.

Although the incident drew an influx of officers to the area, Lane does not believe police have received more calls in the neighborhood surrounding the university than in past years.

But, Lane says, police had "one incident last weekend that everyone knows about."

In May, police responded to 326 calls to parties and loud behavior. That number had fallen from 348 the previous year. Recent complaint rates were unavailable.

Lt. Jim Buchanan, a police department spokesman, explained that the police response was typical for an officer's call for help. He said often an officer won't have enough time to specify how much backup is needed in such situations. Authorities will respond to the call until the officer reports that the situation is under control.

"Personally, I think that community relations have improved," Buchanan said. "But if there's a situation, we're going to respond. There is a tone that has to be set."

Some residents and witnesses, however, said last weekend they were concerned with the large number of police present.

"It seemed like a big deal, but it really wasn't. I was surprised there were so many cops there," said Didi Melone, a resident at the corner.

Gannon Kennedy, a senior at the University of California at Davis and visiting for the weekend, said he was surprised at the response.

"There's over five times as many people at my school and I've never seen a fifth as many cops as there are here," he said.

Other witnesses standing in front of nearby residents commented that many officers did not seem to be doing much about the situation, and that other areas around the city could be in more need of police assistance than one corner.

Authorities, however, defended their response as appropriate, cautioning that hundreds of intoxicated students on the street could be a threat to public safety.

The incident is part of an ongoing -- but not new -- battle between students, residents and police. Last May, police blocked off Washington Street two blocks from campus after the breakup of a day house party.

Alcohol and partying have topped neighbors' complaints at Neighborhood University Relations Committee meetings in recent months. Last May, neighbors lashed out at students' behavior traveling to and from parties.

Joanne Bruna, a nearby resident and frequent target of student criticism, had dubbed the surrounding community then a "neighborhood in crisis."

Lane was positive about improved police interaction with students. His typical shifts run from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the weekends and says he often deals with the Santa Clara party scene.

"The students have been very cooperative," Lane said.

* Contact Liz Weeker at eweeker@scu.edu and Andrea Barrack at abarrack@scu.edu.