In September 2002, approximately 1,800 students flooded the streets in the West University neighborhood. The rioters uplifted street signs, defied police orders and set fire to Dumpsters, street signs and a golf cart.
Many people were unsure of how to prevent future occurrences of the destructive chaos, which seemed to lack a purpose.
But local authorities say the likelihood of another riot occurring this year has decreased, largely due to the cooperation and determination of students and community members.
Pegasus Pizza owner Paul Reader took action after the riot, meeting with University President Dave Frohnmayer to outline things he felt needed to be accomplished within the neighborhood.
Reader pushed his ideas and helped form the West University Task Force, a team of concerned community members assembled to tackle four key points; one of which was community safety and enforcement. Since the formation of the task force, students, community members, the Department of Public Safety and the Eugene Police Department have worked together to create a safer environment in the neighborhood surrounding the campus.
Foot patrol officers will now be patrolling the neighborhood to meet students and community members. The cost for the officers is going to be split between the City of Eugene and the University. Reader said it is important to have foot officers making face-to-face contact because it will help create a camaraderie between police and students.
“It’s getting beyond the ‘us versus them’ feeling that students have,” Reader said.
EPD spokeswoman Pam Olshanski added that the foot patrollers act as a liaison between the neighborhood and the University.
DPS Interim Director Tom Hicks said he is excited to see improvements in the West University neighborhood, adding that there are some basic steps students should take while throwing or attending a party.
“If you are going to host a party, have an invited guest list,” he said. This will keep the party under control, he said, adding that the likelihood of police interference increases as more uninvited guests arrive at a party.
Hicks also advises that students be cooperative with police. For example, if the police come to a party and tell people to disperse, they must leave and return to their place of residence. If not, Hicks said they can be cited for interfering with a police officer and taken to jail.
Hicks said people are also taken to jail when they refuse to give their identification.
“The police do have the authority to make you give your ID, and if you refuse, they can take you to jail,” he said.
University Campus Coordinator Shannon Tarvin said she felt the issues the task force addressed were important for students, although she wasn’t completely involved with the task force last year.
“There is a lot of fear in that area,” she said. “We wanted to maintain safety in that neighborhood.”
Along with foot patrols, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and EPD will be more heavily enforcing “keg checks.” When someone buys a keg, the police will be notified, and it is likely they will show up at the purchaser’s residence to make sure everything is under control.
Reader said he thinks the keg checks and foot patrol officers will help keep parties more controlled.
“I think there will be more hesitancy from people to let things get out of control, because they know they will be held responsible,” he said.