Sagacious Fade user figured it out well before noon
UPDATE Sunday afternoon:
Ultra-reliable source confirms the total number of Law Enforcement Officers involved with snuffing out the Blarney Blowout yesterday was 225.
Since the Western Mass Mutual Aid regional agreement calls for the "host community" to cover the bill for a "pre-planned event," UMass has graciously stepped up to accept full responsibility, rather than the town of Amherst.
Classy move UMass/Amherst!
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A sea of uniformed officers strategically stationed in all the usual trouble spots snuffed out the Blarney Blowout. Decisively. With very few arrests and NO violence.
Brisk start to the morning
The main difference this year was advance planning, a seemingly endless supply of police personnel and of course THE WEATHER. Townhouse Apartments, ground zero the last few years for rowdy behavior, remained a cold barren tundra.
Hard to miss contingent of state and local PD at Townhouse and North Village Apartments
Hobart Lane
Lincoln Avenue/Fearing Street intersection near UMass Southwest
Puffton Village
Phillips Street
No guest policy at UMass and no visitor parking at apartment complexes kept down the crowds
The MSP helicopter paid a visit bright and early to North Amherst and maintained a highly visible -- and auditory -- presence.
MSP Air One
The Mullins Center concert attracted thousands of students off the streets so that too was a BIG help.
Long line of students waiting to get into Mullins Center concert 11:30 AM
And yes, maybe having the half dozen downtown bars not open until 4:00 PM also contributed since it certainly kept college aged youth from swamping town center like they did in previous years.
Long line waiting for Stacker's to open at 4:00 PM
Girl Scouts cookies for sale town center
Equipment:
UMPD Incident Command vehicle set up at Puffton Village Apartments
APD Personal Transport Vehicle
Mass Fire Services Special Operations vehicle staged at Wildwood School
Many police vehicles staged at Wildwood School
Whatever the cost for today ... it was worth it!
Only 365 days until Blarney 2016.
— ZooMass (@ZooMass) March 8, 2015