Come fall, when the Gators play in front of more than 90,000 screaming fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, there will be about 200 police officers patrolling the campus who won’t be too concerned with the scoreboard.
The officers, who come from the University Police Department, the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol, are focused on ensuring the safety of the tens of thousands of fans who come out to watch UF’s storied football team.
During any other time of the year, officers would not hesitate to arrest anyone on campus with an open container of alcohol, as mandated by city ordinance.
But with the large influx of revelers and the carnival-like atmosphere that envelopes Gainesville on game day, the city’s open-container ordinance is not UPD officers’ main concern, said Capt. Jeff Holcomb, spokesman for UPD.
“If you’re over 21 and you’re drinking at your parking spot, it’s not our focus,” Holcomb said.
What UPD is concerned about enforcing, he said, are underage drinking violations and drinking environments that are out of control, such as kegs or excessive amounts of liquor on campus.
If kegs or excessive amounts of alcohol are found, officers will ask that the liquor be removed. If violators don’t comply, officers will give them a written arrest, he said.
However, this is not a citywide policy.
Once students cross University Avenue and leave campus, open container and underage drinking violations are strictly enforced by the Gainesville Police Department, he said.
Those who are caught with an open container off campus risk getting a written arrest or worse, depending on the violator’s demeanor and compliance with officers, Holcomb said.
“They are very pro-arrest,” he said, referring to GPD officers.
It’s also important for students on game days to remember to stow away valuables such as iPods, cell phones and other electronics, he said, or they may be stolen.
“Parents call in every year and ask what the top five crimes on campus are,” he said. “It’s theft, theft, theft, theft and theft.”
Students also need to be aware of the changes in parking and driving policies around campus to accommodate the influx of traffic, he said.
Gale Lemerand Drive, which runs north-south through the middle of campus, closes two hours before kickoff, and no cars are allowed to drive on Gale Lemerand between University Avenue and Stadium Road until the game ends.
Additionally, parking around Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is on a first-come, first-served basis, and parking on the sidewalks or grass is prohibited.
People who park on campus illegally risk getting their cars towed, according to the UF Athletic Association’s website, gatorzone.com.
Off-campus, tenets, landlords and business owners can apply for a permit with the city that allows them to sell parking spaces on their property during game weekends, the homecoming parade and Gator Growl.
According to the City of Gainesville website, the yard-parking business tax is an annual fee that went into effect last year.
Landlords and business owners who want to sell parking spots on their properties are charged the tax, which ranges from $26.25 to $157.50, depending on the location of the property as well as the number of parking spots owners intend to sell.
Jennifer Bush, who owns Jerry Bush Auto Repair with her father, Jerry, has been selling parking spots on the property for the last 15 years.
She said she doesn’t mind paying the tax because it prevents people from trying to sell parking spaces on property they don’t own.
On an average game day, Bush sells between 30 and 60 parking spots.
An available bathroom in the front office of the auto repair shop, as well as a garage to safely keep cars overnight if the owners don’t return, are added incentives for people to park on the lot. It’s also a good spot to tailgate, she said.
“We get some people from the other team and some from here, but they get along real well,” she said.
