Veishea always ranks as one of the busiest weekends of the year for Iowa State and the City of Ames, which means no break for law enforcement officials in the Ames area.

While many students prepare for the concerts, parade, carnival and food to be showcased during Veishea, the Ames Police Department and the Department of Public Safety have other things on their mind.

The main focus of this year’s Veishea is to promote the Cyclone Family by providing safe and alcohol-free fun for ISU students and the Ames community. Although it is hoped Veishea will go off without a hitch this year, law enforcement officials said they’re not going into the celebration with a relaxed attitude.

Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said his department isn’t preparing for this year any differently than previous years.

“Just like in other years we always prepare for the worst but hope for the best,” he said.

Ballantine said his department has had several meetings with members of the Veishea committee in order to help them plan and prepare for different situations that may occur.

After years of preparation, Ballantine said the police department is always ready with Veishea routine when the celebration rolls around in April. He said the routine includes officers preparing for longer shifts and extra work.

DPS Director Loras Jaeger said his department officers also are preparing for extra duty.

“Everyone will be working plenty of hours,” Jaeger said.

Cooperation

All law enforcement officials agree that if Veishea is to be a success there has to be a measure of cooperation between the city, the university and the students. With the disturbances of past years still prevalent in people’s minds, Jaeger said all organizations realize the importance of working together.

“There have been a number of mechanisms in place since ’88 that allow us to communicate with each other and plan for the upcoming events,” he said.

Jaeger added that other community groups were included in meetings with the police and Veishea committees, including Mary Greeley Medical Center, the Department of Transportation and various city offices.

But the cooperation does not end with only city-based organizations.

With a celebration that may encompass more than 25,000 students and another several thousand possible visitors, police and DPS officers will get assistance from other state agencies during Veishea weekend.

Assistance will come from the Story County Reserves, which will assist with transportation and booking procedures of any law breakers, Ballantine said. He also said about 10 state troopers will be patrolling the outskirts of Ames and the highways looking for drunk drivers.

Jaeger said the Story County sheriff’s office has also cooperated by assigning extra officers to Ames during Veishea weekend.

This year vs. last year

Whether Veishea would continue for another 75 years was in doubt last year when the celebration and alcohol abuse were blamed for the loss of a young man’s life.

ISU President Martin Jischke decided to allow Veishea to continue after students vowed to make the campus “dry” for Veishea.

The student leaders agreed to the pledge, and latest reports have shown the level of student support and volunteerism higher than it was last year.

“We have been in meetings virtually every day, and this year there have been more meetings in order to ensure [Veishea] is a success,” Jaeger said.

“I don’t want to seem optimistic, but I think there is a good chance things will work,” Ballantine said. “But I have been telling the students that they have to set their own curriculum for determining success.”

If this year is to be a success, Jaeger said he would attribute it to the amount of student involvement, particularly peer security guards. He said the higher number of volunteers for peer security shows there are students who want Veishea weekend to go as peacefully and as safe as possible.

Concerns

Even with all the planning, pledges and positive attitudes, there is still a question of worry in many officials’ minds about what surprises this weekend might hold.

“Even though the committee is positive, I still worry about how the rest of the student population will react when Veishea arrives,” Ballantine said.

“I believe this year we have a strong central committee with a strong commitment,” Jaeger said. “But the question is ‘What about the people who are not on the committee?’ What are their intentions?”

Ballantine said he thinks everyone understands the importance of Veishea being a success and hopes things will be exactly that way.

Jaeger said his biggest worry is there is still the opportunity for people from outside of Ames to come into the area and cause problems; he said this is an issue that still must be addressed.