Arrests up from 2004 Notre Dame game night

Total game day arrests on campus increased 35 percent from when MSU played Notre Dame two years ago.

MSU police arrested 131 people Saturday compared to 85 game-day arrests when the teams last met in East Lansing.

In addition, MSU police issued 55 MIPs Saturday and arrested others for several trespassing, drug violation and drunk and disorderly offenses. Arrests during Saturday's game day more than doubled compared to the average number of MIPs and arrests from this year's first two home games.

Fred Poston, MSU's vice president for finance and operations, attributed the increase in arrests to the high-profile night game and its record attendance — the third-largest crowd in Spartan Stadium history.

More than 80,000 fans attended the game, compared to about 75,000 in both 2002 and 2004.

Poston said he was apprehensive about fans' potentially unruly behavior Saturday, but he added that restrictions set after the 2004 Notre Dame game helped to quell conflicts.

"It was certainly calmer than before we put the restrictions in place," Poston said. "It was better in that regard; it wasn't great but � it seemed to be under better control — people seemed to be a bit more reserved."

In October 2004, university officials restricted drinking games on campus and limited tailgating to five hours before the game and two hours after. Officials cited increased arrests on campus for home games and an alleged sexual assault prior to the 2004 game against Notre Dame as reasons for the restrictions.

Poston said he anticipated arrests would be high for the game, but said he couldn't determine the severity of conflicts until he viewed police reports this afternoon.

When MSU faced the University of Idaho on Sept. 2, there were 17 MIPs issued and 31 people were arrested. A week later, when the team played Eastern Michigan University, 15 MIPs were issued and 18 arrests were made.

In 2004, The State News cited 139 reports filed by MSU police, but last week MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said there were only 85 total arrests on campus.

She declined to say how many officers were on campus to assist MSU police but said additional help came from agencies, including East Lansing police and the Ingham County Sheriff's Department.

MSU police Chief Jim Dunlap said he hadn't reviewed arrest reports because the department's records bureau doesn't work on the weekends, but he said an officer was injured in an armed robbery Saturday outside Spartan Stadium.

The officer was treated at Lansing's Sparrow Hospital for minor injuries before being released, Dunlap said.

East Lansing police Sgt. Bill Mitchell said things were busy Saturday, but when he arrived for his day shift at 6 a.m. Sunday, about 12 people were in East Lansing Jail for "the usual — the disorderly conducts and alcohol types (of offenses)."

No additional information was available regarding arrests or reports filed in East Lansing because weekend numbers are tallied today, Mitchell said.

Staff writers Laura Collins and Sarah Harbison contributed to this report.