BOOZE-FIGHT STATS POINT TO STUDENTS

Madison police now have numbers to support their argument that the campus
area has a drinking problem.

Almost half of the aggravated battery cases reported in Madison's isthmus
area last year - 42 of 89 incidents - occurred in an area police call
Sector 403, which runs from Lake Street to Wisconsin Avenue, and from West
Johnson Street to Lake Mendota, according to statistics released Wednesday
by Capt. George Silverwood. The area includes State Street, campus bars and
student housing.

Sector 403 is one of 10 in the isthmus area.

According to police statistics:

- - 133 of 426 cases of battery that occurred on the isthmus happened in that
sector. - 101 fights of the 246 on the isthmus occurred in that sector.

Silverwood was able to issue the numbers as a result of a new computer
system. In a memo to members of the Alcohol License Review Commission, he
said that the system has "now allowed us to further support the argument
that use of alcohol greatly impacts our calls for service and the
community." Silverwood urged members to "closely review" any requests for
new licenses.

Commission Chairman Tim Bruer said he did not want to consider a moratorium
on new alcohol licenses, but said there could be room for other kinds of
problem solving. He did not say what those solutions would be.

The commission has been working with bar owners, with some success, to
limit overcrowding and serving underage patrons in downtown bars, Bruer said

"The ALRC has been taking a moderate, case-by-case approach to granting new
liquor licenses, working with the mayor's office and the Police Department
to work on longer-term strategies to offset the concerns," he said.

Silverwood said there was a link between bar time and violence.

Of the 278 batteries, aggravated batteries and fights reported on the
isthmus last year, 164 of them, or 59 percent, occurred between midnight
and 3 a.m.

"There seems to be a significant correlation between incidents and hours of
consumption along with the level of consumption. It is also noteworthy that
the incidents in-crease as bar time approaches," Silverwood said.

"Again, this does not represent a new theory or argument, rather it is very
strong supporting data by both location and time of day regarding the
Impact of alcohol abuse on police resources, victims and the community at
large."

Barb Mercer, president of the Madison Dane Tavern League, said it was up to
more than bar owners to solve problems caused by drinking. She said police
needed to en-force more aggressively underage drinking laws. And she said
students needed to police their own behavior.

"I don't know if I blame these guys downtown,' Mercer said. "Tavern owners
are just getting kicked in the butt again."

Tavern owners had a not-so-pleasant meeting last month with Lt. Roger
Offerdahl, who implored bar owners to work on stopping some of the
alcohol-related violence that occurs downtown. Offerdahl said underage
drinking was responsible for much of the late-night beatings and sexual
assaults in the downtown area.