Football: Security tightened for tonight's game

Security measures for tonight's nationally televised football game against Virginia Tech have been heightened in order to ensure fan safety and deter unsportsmanlike conduct, as the University looks to direct its attention to the behavior of fans in the stands. These changes will include a ban on all signs and backpacks inside the stadium.

"Every night game presents a different set of problems," said Boston College Police Department (BCPD) Chief Robert Morse.

Additional traffic, an increase in medical calls, and additional time for students to consume alcohol prior to kickoff were included among the potential problems Morse cited. As part of meetings with 10 different departments, University officials collaborated to revise typical security measures to reflect the circumstances surrounding this particular game.

The average Superfan will see a definite increase in manpower beyond the typical 226 official security presence, said Morse. All 52 officers of the BCPD will be on duty as usual, but there will be extra security attendants: emergency medical technicians, Boston and State Police officers, and an alcohol interdiction team occupying the heavily-frequented Shea Field, the Mods, and the streets surrounding Alumni Stadium.

In addition, traffic officers, usually on post four hours before kickoff, will begin their shifts earlier to better handle both the incoming game traffic and the outgoing rush-hour traffic. Much of these measures are included as part of the license given to Boston College by the city of Boston allowing football games to be held on campus, said Morse.

"With this license comes certain stipulations," he said.

In order to prevent underage drinking and other forms of alcohol abuse, Morse said that there will be undercover officers looking for alcohol in the wrong hands. Tailgating will be limited to three hours prior to the game and no tailgating will be allowed following the game.

While in the stadium, BCPD officers will be stationed in both the men's and now the women's restrooms in order to prevent the smuggling or mixing of alcohol. This policy is fairly new, said Morse. Female officers were stationed in the women's restrooms for the first time in the game against Maine, resulting in the ejection of three female students.

Rather than searching backpacks at the gate, fans will not be allowed to enter the stadium with any kind of backpack in which alcohol or any other prohibited items could be smuggled, said Morse.

Because of the national telecast, the general public has more access to Thursday's game, including scalpers, many of whom have criminal backgrounds, said Morse. He estimates that in a stadium with a capacity of 44,500, "upward of 50,000" will be in and around the area, many from outside the university.

An increase in unsportsmanlike fan behavior has also become an evident reason for increased security. "Division I schools have noticed an increase in incivility among their fans," said Paul Chebator, associate dean for Student Development.

BC has not been an exception to this trend. The line between the student section and the visitors' section has become especially contentious lately, said Chebator. A buffer of police officers and ODSD personnel will be in place for Thursday's game. The school hopes these measures will hopefully deter the large amount of complaint letters his office has received over the past weeks from visiting fans, some claiming that they would never come back again because of how they were treated.

As part of the larger effort to control unruly fan behavior, the University athletic department has prohibited any signs inside the stadium for tonight's game, said Morse. The Athletics Department, however, could not be reached for comment.

Alex Rikleen, co-director of the BC Rally Committee and A&S '09, calls the move "somewhat counterproductive." "The lack of signs will be noticeable," he said.

Stephanie St. Martin, co-director of the BCRC and A&S '07, understands the problem of offensive signs. "There does need to be some form of monitoring," she said. "But can you really punish the whole class for what a few people did?" she asked.

Though St. Martin and Rikleen may not completely agree with all the measures being taken, they agree that there is a larger problem that their club is trying to address.

"BCRC is trying to promote good fan behavior," said St. Martin. Such behavior is expected, particularly at a Jesuit school like BC.

"We're looking to appeal to the ethics and values of our students," said Chebator.

And yet Rikleen points out the problematic irony in such a statement. "We're so proud of our Jesuit ideals, so why do we lose them for two hours every week?" he asked.

With rival school Boston University addressing unruly fan behavior with strict rules prohibiting obscenities, the BCRC hopes that the University can rise above such conduct and set an example for other schools.

"I would hate to see that happen at BC," said St. Martin, referring to the new BU fan policy.

In order to prevent such administrative crackdowns, students need to use common sense when cheering at the games.

"We're all smart enough to know what's crossing the line," said Rikleen.

Chebator encourages fans to behave and cheer in a good-natured manner, which does not necessarily exclude critical chants against the visiting team as long as they are not overtly mean-spirited.

With a national audience tonight, it only makes sense that the University would want to project a positive image. All eyes are on both the fans and the players.

St. Martin both embraced this attitude and took it a step further. "Make the school look good, but make yourself look good," she said.

In order to do that, Chebator offered some advice to all the Superfans attending tonight's game. "Cheer hard, cheer often, but do it respectfully," he said.