Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said it is unfortunate how the image of Veishea has changed in the past years from a family event to an event many people feel is dangerous.

“Veishea used to be a big family event and a big money thing,” he said. “Now, it’s no longer a big moneymaker, and the non-students are diverted because they’ve heard of danger.”

Ballantine referred to the 1988 and 1992 Veishea riots and said the city spent about $17,000 last year to reduce the possibility of another incident. In addition, he said several meetings have been held this year in an effort to plan a safe celebration.

He also said he worries another disturbance could put an end to Veishea, which will be held April 18-20 this year.

Ballantine, who answered questions in a journalism class last week about his job and campus and community crime, said most crime in the Iowa State and Ames communities is a “direct result of alcohol abuse,” Ballantine said.

Ballantine, who has headed the Ames police force for nearly 13 years, said more than half the crime in Ames relates to Iowa State, and most of those cases are the result of alcohol abuse. For instance, he said in nearly all reported sexual assault occurrences, one or both students were drunk.

He said the major problem is that students think drinking is a “rite of passage,” and that binge drinking has become a customary activity at ISU.

Too many students, he said, drink with the “intent to get wasted.” Ballantine said replacing this attitude will cut down on potential crime.

He said the issue is not to end college parties, but to cut down on excessive drinking.

“We’re trying to get students to party responsibly. We attack alcohol problems with vigor to prevent other crimes from happening,” he said.

Ballantine addressed how ISU’s alcohol policies compare with other colleges, such as the University of Iowa. He said Ames, which passed an ordinance in the 1970s to raise the minimum age for entering bars to 21, has set a standard for other college towns. He said the Iowa City police chief is now weighing the idea, since Iowa City has a minimum entrance age of 19.

“Other cities have followed our lead because it’s easier to control,” he said.

He said because situations got out of hand when the legal bar ages were 18 and 19, he avidly supports the rule.

“We had high school seniors skipping class to go drinking at the bars,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve wondered, as a parent, why do I have to be concerned whether kids are going to a bar for a drink?”

He said he stands behind the motion to ban alcohol from two of ISU’s fraternity houses, but he questions the reality of it.

Non-alcoholic houses would benefit those who don’t drink, he said, but he doesn’t foresee it deterring most members from consuming alcohol.

“The house is dry, but are the members dry?” he said. “However, I do think they’re going at it for real reasons.”