Arrests during Veishea weekend have dropped drastically in recent years.

This weekend’s total was only 32 – a drop from the 410 arrests made during 1997’s weekend celebration, or the 351 arrests in 1996.

It even halves the 65 arrests during last year’s weekend. The lower numbers could be due to the drizzling weather, but police officers didn’t expect a chaotic weekend.

“Veishea has been more and more cordial the past few years,” said Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald Friday morning. “This is not going to be a police function. We want the kids to have fun.

“We are expecting a peaceful, calm weekend.”

This was the first year those arrested during Veishea weekend were brought to the new Story County Jail, which opened in March.

Fitzgerald said inmates and staff have adjusted well to the new facility and it will make busier times, such as Veishea, easier to manage.

The partnership between the Department of Public Safety, Ames Police and the Story County Sheriff’s Office would help the weekend flow smoothly, he said.

“We work together throughout the year,” Fitzgerald said.

Weather has a lot to do with the peace of the weekend. “Drizzling will keep people inside,” he said.

Sgt. Dru Toresdahl of the Story County Sheriff’s office said the weather, available activities and officer discretion all helped keep the arrest numbers lower than previous years.

“These are pretty low numbers compared to years past,” Toresdahl said.

“[Officers] got the ones that were a problem; they were not out to see how many people could be arrested.”

Toresdahl said late Friday and early Saturday 22 people were brought to the Story County Jail and 14 were cited and released.

Saturday night another six individuals were brought to Nevada, while four stayed in Ames.

“All had alcohol-related offenses,” Toresdahl said. “Some had multiple charges.”

He said those additional charges ranged from assault and public urination to providing false information and driving while intoxicated.

“It was all pretty basic,” Toresdahl said.