Pursued by the pumpkin police

     It’s the night after Pumpkinfest, the tourists have left and families have returned to their homes, but the nearby college campus is just awakening with activity.

    People stumbling down the sidewalk are everywhere, beer cans are scattered on the grass, groups are screaming nonsense and both the Keene Police Department and Keene State College Campus Safety Officers are patrolling the streets.

    On Oct. 17, the day better known as Pumpkin Fest, there were over 120 reports from the Keene Police Department, with over 30 more between midnight and 2:30 a.m. But with all of these incidents, KPD stayed vigilant, as did the KSC Campus Safety, with the help of officers from University of New Hampshire.

    “The night went well overall,” Sergeant Brendan of KSC Campus Safety said. “They came down and assisted us. It was a good team effort.”

    Throughout the day, the officers dealt with crowds. Deputy Chief Cleveland of the Keene Fire Department was on duty during the afternoon of Pumpkin Fest for crowd control.

    “We’re here for safety and fire safety,” Cleveland said.

    It was his nineteenth year on duty at Pumpkin Fest, and the only problem they’ve had to handle were the crowds.

    “They keep getting bigger and bigger,” Cleveland said.

    Nighttime too holds excitement for officers and patrol officers. Most of the incidents were alcohol-related issues. Sergeant Brendan was on duty the night of Oct. 16.

    “Friday night seemed to me pretty busy,” Brendan said. “We had a lot of transports to the medical center for intoxicated people.”

    But even on regular weekend nights intoxication is an issue.

    “On a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night the problem is usually alcohol, alcohol and alcohol,” he said.

    But it’s likely that with all of the students having visitors staying overnight, issues like these were multiplied.

    Emma Laramie is a freshman that experienced an intoxicated male entering her dorm at night and not willingly leaving.

    “We were hanging out in our room,” Laramie said, “and some dude just walks in, drinking and starts eating our food.”

    The male wasn’t from Keene State College, was loud and would not leave.

    “He doesn’t know anyone on the floor and we had no clue how he got in,” Laramie said.

    After knocking on doors for assistance in getting him to leave, someone finally recognized him.

    “This has never happened before. I think this may have happened because of Pumpkin Fest, people bringing friends and drinking.” Laramie said.

    While alcohol is a big issue, it is not the only concern reported throughout the weekend. One notable incident took place on the night of Oct. 16, which unofficially kicked off the Pumpkinfest weekend, when someone reportedly defecated in a dorm hall stairwell.

    Nicole Ferri is a Resident Advisor and a Junior for KSC. “I was desk attending and there were four RA’s on duty,” Ferri said. “Two of them were doing rounds and on the third floor one of them had smelt something. They went up the stairs and found that someone had pooped on the stairwell.”

    Because no violator was found it was filed under occurrence and UNICO was called to come clean it.

    “Other than that it was basically just a lot of alcohol incidents,” Ferri said.

    People were seen being taken out in stretchers due to potential alcohol poisoning.

    Stephanie Caravedo is a freshman at KSC who witnessed one of these potential alcohol-poisoning incidents.

    “Me and my friends were having quite the enjoyable evening when this drunken mess came into my friends room. He lay on the bed and started puking everywhere. We had to drag him out and call 911 because he was unconscious,” Caravedo said.

    Although neither her nor her friends were drinking, this didn’t stop the intrusion. It’s a situation similar to what happened to Emma Laramie. And although Caravedo doesn’t blame Pumpkin Fest, she knows it played a part.

    “I don’t think Pumpkin Fest caused this kid to get sick, but it played a part. The increased influence of drinking during Pumpkin Fest is very high.” Caravedo said.

    Now that all is said and done, students returned to their normal lives, but with the aftermath of the weekends activities still weighing heavy on their minds. Like Caravedo and her friend who now have to deal with a puke-stained room.

    “It smells really bad, it’s just a burden on my friends room,” Caravedo said. “I don’t even like going in there because it’s disgusting.”

Garrett Beltis can be contacted at gbeltis@keeneequinox.com.