The city of Kent prepares for Halloween weekend

Every year during the Halloween weekend, the Kent Police Department and the city of Kent take precaution. It’s an eventful weekend, but also can be very dangerous.

During the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, a total of 86 calls were made to the police department and 36 to the fire department. The Kent Police Department made 46 total arrests, seven of those being disorderly conduct.

For the Halloween festivities, eight to 10 cars, with two officers in each, take patrol around the city of Kent. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is also increased during this time.

There are approximately 40 officers from Kent Police Department, the Summit and Portage Metro SWAT team with about 30 officers, and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office will send at least 20 officers. Brimfield and neighboring police departments also send officers for the weekend. All together, there’s at least 100 officers.

As a precaution, officers get into walking teams in areas where most people are likely to be for Halloween.

“The officers in the cars job is to be everywhere else in our jurisdiction,” said Lt. officer Jim Prusha. “So if something happens in a crowd, an officer can be there.”

During the 2013 Halloween weekend, the city paid approximately $17,700 in overtime to all kent city employees. Three thousand dollars was paid to the to Portage County Sheriff’s Office for vehicles, officers and support. The department spent $573 for food to employees.

Before the festivities, all officers for the night are place in a roll-call to go over some tactics and precautions.

“It’s the same year after year,” Prusha said. “We allow people to have a good time as long as they aren’t violating laws. When they started to crowd in to the streets and carry their beers down the sidewalk, we would intervene.”

The end of the evening is when more action is required for officers.

“Usually earlier in the evening, it’s a festive environment. People are having a good time, including the officers,” Prusha said. “We really do end up have to prioritizing later because we can’t catch everything.”

Halloween for downtown Kent

As for downtown, the Saturday of Halloween weekend is “the biggest night of the fall semester for any bar,” said Mike Beder, owner of Water Street Tavern in downtown Kent.

Water Street Tavern takes great preparation for the festivities and keeps a staff close to 20 employees for the Saturday night of Halloween weekend.

“Every year, we make sure to wear a uniform-type costume so it is clear who is an employee,” Beder said.

As for customers, Water Street Tavern does not allow certains aspects of costumes into the bar.

“We do not allow any objects that could be used, or construed as weapons, oversized costumes that become cumbersome to other customers. We also do not allow face painting that prohibits us from properly checking an ID.”

“Although the evening has it’s challenges, anyone that had attended or worked a Halloween know it’s an absolute blast and one of the many events that makes downtown Kent so unique and fun.”

Mike Weber, manager for Ray’s Place located on Franklin Avenue in Kent says the night isn’t much different from any other weekend.

“I know Halloween is a huge weekend in town, but it’s kind of one of the ones that takes place on the streets,” Weber said. “There’s a lot of street activity, but people who really come into town for it, even though they come into the bars, they spend short visits in the bars. They really want to be out there on the streets.”

Weber said he knows it’s a different story for police officers dealing with people on the streets, but Ray’s Place runs pretty smoothly during Halloween weekend.

“It’s a busy night for us, but it’s not filled with headaches or problems,” Weber said.

Precautions from Lt. Prusha for you to take

• Cross the streets at the crosswalks.
• Lock your cars and keep valuables out of sight.
• Use the buddy system.
• Don’t drink too much.
• Plan ahead. How are you getting home?
• Lock your house.
• Only allow people on your property if you know them because you will be accountable for their actions.
• Obey the law.