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Mardi Gras 2005-2007: 

A Report on Our Simple Assignment 

In a nutshell, this was our “simple” assignment for the three year period following Mardi Gras 2004… 

Stop SLO from being a statewide Mardi Gras weekend destination for thousands of people and prevent the town from boiling over from a combustible mix of alcohol and crowds over a potential 5-day party period.

So how did we do?  Here’s a comparison of 2004 to 2007…

  Mardi Gras Weekend 2004

  • Huge, drunken crowds and a riot on Saturday night that required an emergency mutual aide call.
  • Rocks and bottles thrown at police officers, horses, etc.
  • More mob behavior on “Fat Tuesday”, including a homemade bomb thrown at a police officer.
  • 206 arrests (49 from Cal Poly and Cuesta)
  • Twelve officers and several partiers injured (exact # unknown).
  • Hospital emergency rooms clogged with injured or alcohol-poisoned partiers.
  • Significant property damage.
  • Neighborhoods outside the “north end” and downtown feeling neglected by law enforcement.
  • National news coverage of SLO as a “Mardi Gras riot town.”
  • Several complaints/bad feelings about the police operation.

  Mardi Gras Weekend 2005

  • Significantly smaller, friendlier crowds and no riot.
  • A “Fat Tuesday” so quiet you could hear a pin-drop.
  • 82 arrests, down 58% from 2004 (19 from Cal Poly and Cuesta)
  • 1 minor injury to a police officer and no reported public injuries.
  • Very quiet emergency rooms.
  • Very minor property damage.
  • Neighborhoods feeling well covered and served.
  • Only a small number of objects thrown.
  • No news coverage outside the area.
  • Zero formal complaints and mostly praise for the police officers.

Mardi Gras Weekend 2006

  • Even smaller, friendlier crowds than in 2005, and again, no riot
  • A total of 48 arrests (25 from Cal Poly and Cuesta), down 77% from the total in 2004 and down 42% from the number made in 2005
  • 56 citations were issued
  • No public disturbances
  • No one injured
  • No complaints about police officers

Mardi Gras Weekend 2007

  • No crowds at all and, once again, no riot
  • A total of 31 arrests (10 from Cal Poly and Cuesta), down 85% from the number made in 2004, down 62% from 2005, and down 35% from 2006
  • 57 citations were issued
  • No public disturbances
  • No one injured
  • No complaints about police officers

 

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