Recordpub.com - Unruly parties in Kent cost $26,259 Hundreds of manpower hours required to maintain control in city

By Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

Kent paid a high price for safety personnel staffing during the College Fest riot and ensuing efforts to curb further unrest during parties planned the following weekend.

William Lillich, Kent’s safety director, estimated the costs associated with staffing and overtime hours incurred by the city’s police and fire departments on April 25, the day of the College Fest riot, and the following Friday and Saturday when advertised parties were planned for two other neighborhoods.

Lillich estimated the response from Kent’s police, fire and service departments resulted in a $26,259 cost for increased staffing and overtime.

More than 50 people were arrested stemming from the incidents at College Fest. An an additional 17 people were arrested during the following weekend’s parties, Shermania and Drinkin’ on Lincoln.

Lillich said the expenses will be covered by general operating funds and are not expected to have a tremendous impact on the safety budget.

“Certainly an expense up at that level will have some impact, but the budget is built to be able to deal with some unanticipated costs,” Lillich said.

The city can recoup some money through fines paid by those arrested, but only by those charged with misdemeanors. Felony charges are handled through the state.

“We really never gain back the expenses involved with an incident like this,” Lillich said. “We have heard some of the (fines) were averaging $150.”

The safety director’s estimates do not include the manpower provided from the 11 police and 12 fire agencies that responded with mutual aid. Lillich said those communities will not be reimbursed by the city.

“We just owe them a lot of service in return, which we try and provide in a variety of ways,” he said.

On April 25, the night of the riot on East College Avenue, 23 Kent police officers worked with 10 Kent firefighters and a total 132 mutual aid personnel. Between May 2 and May 3, 129 officers and 21 fire personnel worked more than a combined 500 hours.

On April 25, Metro SWAT provided the most mutual aid hours, 170, and personnel, 32. The Ohio Highway Patrol worked 110 hours, followed by Portage County Sheriff’s Office personnel providing 100 hours and KSU police at 50. Beginning May 2, Metro SWAT worked 208 total hours followed by 184 from the state patrol and another 100 hours from the sheriff’s office.

In addition, the damage caused to the pavement by the bonfire in the street and the stolen street signs amounted to $5,392 in service department labor and repairs costs.

Next week, Kent City Council is set to renew a mutual aid agreement with Kent State University for police aid on campus. The contract typically is renewed every four years. The KSU police department was one of the departments to provide assistance both during the College Fest weekend and the following weekend.

“It took a lot of effort on the part of a lot of people,” Lillich said. “We were very fortunate to have some of our neighbors willing to assist.”