With the good weather, plentiful parties and masses of inebriated people on the streets during Spring Fling, the potential for crime multiplied, but with the exception of two robberies near campus early Friday morning, police reported no major incidents.
"I think overall, Fling went very well," Chief of University of Pennsylvania Police Tom Rambo said. "I think the organizers of Fling, members of college houses and [safety] officials did a very good job in making Fling a fun and safe event."
Compared to last year's Fling, though, there were more reported incidents of minor infringements. Police issued 30 citations for underage drinking, carrying open alcohol containers and disorderly conduct, up from 11 last year.
Rambo noted that this increase was probably due more to a higher level of enforcement than a rise in actual occurrences. Yet a greater number of students had to be admitted to the hospital than last year.
"There were approximately 25 hospital cases [this year] compared to 14" last year, Rambo said, adding that many of these were alcohol related. "It's unfortunate that some people take [Fling] as an opportunity to drink excessively, placing themselves in dangerous incidents."
Police said that they increased manpower on campus to minimize the possibility of crime.
"It think [the safe weekend] was a result of an increase in enforcement activity and an increase in visible police and security presence," Rambo said.
Off-campus parties during Fling can often be disruptive to the surrounding community, due to high levels of noise and the large number of people standing around outside. This year, students' festivities did not cause as much trouble.
"Last year, there were about 16 large-scale parties that were significantly hazardous enough to be closed," Rambo said. "This year, there were only eight."
One unusual incident involving two males unaffiliated with Penn did occur Saturday at 12:06 a.m. on the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue.
"Two people were walking ... when they were struck in the face by pellets from a BB gun," Rambo said. "We believe pellets were fired from a house where there was a party being held. We confiscated two pellet rifles."
The males were treated for minor facial injuries at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and released. Police are continuing to investigate the case.
Over the course of the weekend, there were also two armed robberies that occurred near the intersection of 40th and Irving streets.
