366 CARS STOPPED, 80 CHARGED DURING RAVE

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Representatives of several law enforcement agencies
said their large-scale presence at a techno music show south of town was
justified.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 people attended the event at the Terry Bison Ranch.
Eighty-three law-enforcement officers were among the 132 public safety
officials on hand.

At a press conference Tuesday, representatives of the Laramie County
Sheriff's Office, state Division of Criminal Investigation and other
agenices said 366 cars were stopped and 80 people were charged with drug
crimes.

Felony drug charges were filed against six people.

"People need to ask themselves, if we had done nothing whatsoever, what
could have happened?" said Steve Miller, deputy director of the DCI.

He said "exactly the right amount" of officials were there.

Plans for the concert drew considerable attention over the previous week.
DCI Director Tom Pagel said the show would be a rave, where drugs like
ecstasy commonly mix with techno music and all-night dancing.

Gov. Jim Geringer spoke against allowing such a gathering in Wyoming.

All told, though, few problems arose and police patted themselves on the back.

"We were very pleased with the outcome of the rave concert," Laramie County
Sheriff Roger Allsop said.

Throughout the day at or near the ranch, police stopped people with
ecstasy, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, cocaine, morphine and
ketamine, according to Miller.

Highway Patrol Sgt. Stephen Thompson said every vehicle stopped had
violated a state law. The patrol issued 93 citations and 273 warnings.

Allsop felt the number of stops was normal.

"I don't think it was like they were stopping every car coming down the
road," he said. "When you look at the percentage ... I don't know that I
would find the number of stops out there all that unusual."

Miller said about 95 percent of the cars were from Colorado.

After dark, one man who was apparently under arrest sat in the parking lot
in handcuffs while officers searched his car and placed some of its
contents on the trunk.

A Cheyenne police officer with a drug dog talked to another group in the
lot. Other officers nearby peeked into car windows with a flashlight,
apparently at random.

"That was not done to every vehicle in the parking lot," Miller said. "No
one had enough time for that. We were focusing our efforts on suspicious
activity."

Those patrolling the event included 25 Laramie County Sheriff's officers,
22 Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers, 12 Cheyenne police officers, six
Division of Criminal Investigation agents, four U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration agents and two Platte County Sheriff's officers.

There were also 12 military police and, just over the state line, 19
Colorado State Patrol troopers. Numerous firefighters and paramedics were
on the scene as well.

Miller said "a fair but firm governmental response" can be expected at such
events in the future.