In anticipation of the large crowds expected to flood Westwood following the UCLA-USC football game at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum this Saturday, the Los Angeles Police Department and UCPD have teamed up in an attempt to ensure that things don’t get out of hand.
Because of the heightened rivalry that has developed between the Bruins and Trojans this year – USC is trying to keep its 33-game winning streak alive and UCLA is looking to end a successful season on a good note – the university wants to make sure that everyone remains safe following the game, said Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services.
Officer Michael Moore, an LAPD senior lead officer for the Westwood area, said that the department has put together a task force of officers from around the city in order to keep all post-game festivities – whether they consist of mourning a loss or celebrating a win – under control.
Several squads of varying sizes will be sent to the area around campus, one of which is expected to consist of at least 44 officers, according to Moore. He also said to expect a combination of patrols conducted by officers on foot, on motorcycle and by vehicle.
Moore said that the LAPD will be operating under a zero-tolerance policy for serious infractions, such as drinking in public, and also for actions that might normally only garner a warning, such as jaywalking and public littering.
There is also a possibility that students may be punished by the university if their actions are deemed severe enough to be a threat to the safety of the community, as outlined in the university’s code of conduct, said Robert Naples, assistant vice chancellor of student and campus life.
“If (the UCLA community) is unhappy after the game, don’t go out looking for trouble,” he said.
“If you’re celebrating, recognize that there’s a possibility that there will be a strong police presence and stay in control.”
Naples also said that letters were sent to fraternities and sororities to caution them against falling into “negative stereotypes” and to remind them to stay safe, which he hopes will be the case for all students.
Business owners in the surrounding neighborhood and campus facilities officials are also taking some additional steps to prepare for this weekend.
Josh Norman, the manager of Maloney’s, a popular bar in Westwood, said that he plans to have extra staff working on Saturday. He expects the bar to be busy all day and night regardless of if the Bruins win or not.
Rick Wan, assistant director of the Office of Residential Life, said that the On-Campus Housing Council will be offering a free viewing of the game on the Hill in the Grand Horizon Room of Covel Commons.
Following the game, ORL will have the normal amount of resident assistant duty staff working on Saturday night, but it plans to increase the number of resident directors on duty from one to four.
Wan said that ORL wants everyone to be safe whether or not the Bruins win the game.
“We encourage people to be safe. Celebrate with pride; do it with dignity. We will, of course, if victory occurs, be excited and mindful of not causing damage to people or property,” he said.
Moore advises students to be responsible with their celebrations if the team does win the game.
“Try to pick a location to celebrate and stay there. Don’t bring your celebrations out onto the sidewalks or streets,” he said.
“If some people decide to go beyond the scope of normal celebration for the day, certainly don’t go out and watch them or join them. The best thing to do is stay indoors and away from such activity,” he added.
In years past, the UCLA-USC game has led to some close calls with safety.
On December 3, 1958, a couple weeks after the rivalry game on Nov. 22, a homemade time bomb was discovered under the cheerleader’s platform at the Coliseum on the UCLA side of the field, according to Daily Bruin archives.
The bomb had been set to go off at 2 p.m., the kickoff time for the UCLA-USC game that year, but had not exploded due to a malfunction in the triggering mechanism.
Had the bomb exploded, it could have killed anyone within 50 feet of its location, including UCLA cheerleaders, the Bruin Band and Rally Committee and students watching the game, according to police at the time.