Weekend arrests keep police busy

Area police made about 75 arrests from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon in connection with Little 500 festivities, according to police reports.\nCompared to the arrests made a decade ago, that's low.\nMonroe County saw its worst Little 500 weekend in 1991. That year at Varsity Villas apartments, 300 E. Matlock Rd., an estimated 1,000 people rioted -- damaging cars, property and sending dozens to prison.\nIn response, police have upped the ante and have put more officers, detectives, shift commanders and personnel on duty during the weekend. This year, 19 Bloomington Police officers put in overtime, the department added about a dozen shift officers, three supervisors, and four to six detectives were on duty. \nAnd that's on top of IU Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff's Department, Indiana Highway Patrol and Indiana Excise Police officers already in town.\nBloomington Police Department Sgt. Bill Parker said the added police surveillance combined with more weekend activities have contributed to the downturn in arrests.\n"This was a standard Little 500 weekend that's been consistent with what it's been over the last three to four years," Parker said. "We think things are safer and better."\nParker said those who were arrested can plead guilty en masse and serve their sentence immediately if they plead guilty. Parker said in those cases, the person arrested has to go before a court. Usually, Parker said, they pay their debt to society during the same weekend doing different community service activities.\nDeputy Sheriff George Trippany said this year's numbers are on par with the estimates from the last several years. He said he wasn't on the force in Bloomington when the rioting broke out, but said he still hears stories.\nArrests have gone down, he said, and the "extra patrol might have something to do with it." \nDean of Students Richard McKaig said that based on the information he had, nothing of a "major action occurred over the weekend"