Crowds Swell for Halloween in Isla Vista - Maximum Enforcement Leads to Hundreds of Arrests

Isla Vista- November 1st, 2009

Thousands of Halloween revelers packed the streets of Isla Vista Saturday night prompting more than one thousand arrests/citations and dozens of medical calls.

Halloween night fell on a Saturday this year attracting the largest crowds of the weekend. Preliminary estimates place the number of attendees at the unsponsored event at more than 25,000. That’s less than last year, although the number of arrests and citations rose from 2008. As of Sunday morning, the Sheriff’s Department reported 311 arrests and 701 citations for the entire weekend. Alcohol played a role in a vast majority of incidents.

Alcohol continues to create a large number of medical emergencies resulting in more than 50 hospital transports for the second straight year. The volunteer Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team navigated streets jam packed with thousands of people to offer first aid and/or wheeled transport to a medical triage tent on Trigo Road that was staffed by paramedics. People tumbling off the cliffs is a frequent problem in Isla Vista, but as of Sunday morning, there were no reports of anyone falling.

More than 250 sworn law enforcement personnel and at least one-hundred support staff worked through both nights to ensure the safety of the citizens of Isla Vista and the thousands more who came to visit. The weekend operation will cost the Sheriff’s Department more than $500-thousand. After State and County resources are included, the bill could reach $1-million for taxpayers.

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please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

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