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Picnic Day Problems Rise As Sun Goes Down


DAVIS, Calif. (CBS13) -- One of the biggest traditions in Davis drew thousands Saturday and remained fairly calm during the morning and afternoon, but after the sun went down, partiers were lining up at bars and restaurants.

The Davis Police Department worked with businesses and event organizers to keep the UC Davis Picnic Day under control, instituting a number of new policies like banning alcohol sales before 11:00 a.m.

"We know people are going to consume alcohol, we know people are going to have parties, we just want them to be able to do it responsibly," said Lt. Glen Glacgow.

Event organizers also spent weeks reaching out to college students in hopes of keeping the day's events calm.

With crowds reaching over 100,000 in recent years, authorities brought a heavy police presence to the event as well.

Police made some arrests earlier in the day and paramedics were called out for a number of alcohol-related emergencies.

Last year, a rowdy crowd at night led to more than 30 arrests and a number of frightening violent incidents. The final tally of arrests for the 2011 event may actually be higher simply because of a more proactive approach and lower tolerance to public drunkenness, authorities said.

The UC Davis Police Department, Davis Police Department, and California Highway Patrol all had officers in town Saturday night to respond to any problems.

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