A Look at New Year's Eve From the Viewpoint of Police

By: Rowena Li - Email

Updated: Wed 5:41 AM, Jan 02, 2013

New Year's Eve: it's a night for celebrating, and sometimes, for trouble-making.

Things were pretty quiet as the new year began.

"Been on a few welfare checks, checking on kids and their living situations. There's been a couple of different domestics, fights involving family and alcohol, things like that," said Grand Island Police Officer Joshua Berlie, who patrols the south side of town.

GIPD Sergeant Stanley Steele noted that things were pretty calm in the hours before midnight. "Some DUIs, some shoplifting, and some other what I guess are routine calls," he said.

GIPD had 10 officers patrolling, including one focusing specifically on DUIs.

"New Year's Eve, there was a lot more people out for the specifics of celebrating," said Steele.

Dispatches over the police radio told of occupants driving drunk with children in the backseat and others attempting to leave bars intoxicated.

And there were also those causing disturbances.

"It appeared to be a MIP party that led to some sort of a disturbance. When we got there people ran in separate directions," said Berlie of a group of under-aged drinkers.

Steele noted that it was busier than an average Monday night, but "as holidays go, this New Year's Eve was pretty tame as far as our contacts with the public."

In total, GIPD officials said they logged two DUIs and 13 other arrests.