GrooveBoston's revamped security procedures created one of the most "successful" events to date, according to Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and Security Patrick Linfante.
"This year we added a staging area at the entrance to the event," Linfante said. This was located in front of the Rec Center, and it was a designated area for Public Safety to ensure that no students entered the event with bags, bottles or other packages. This checkpoint also served as a way to line up the concert attendees in a more organized manner before they passed through the metal detectors.
According to Linfante, although this staging area was the only addition, other factors contributed to what Public Safety considers the event's success.
"This is the fourth GrooveBoston concert held on campus," he said. "We (Public Safety) have reviewed our participation in each of the prior concerts and most certainly have gained some insight and experience in managing them."
Linfante added that students who have attended previous Groove Bostons now know what to expect at these events.
Some students also seemed to have noticed the difference.
"They didn't let the really drunk people go," junior Diana Markowska said. "It seemed as if fewer people were hospitalized."
She said that last year it seemed as if several people were being taken away on stretchers. "It seemed like (the amount of security) should have been there: it was necessary," she said.
Senior Roxy DeStefano also said that this event seemed to be safer overall. "I felt the security was tighter this year being as so many people were hospitalized last year," she said.
Freshmen attended this GrooveBoston for the first time. According to freshman Audrey Snyder the security was "intimidating of course," but she added that "people knew to be cautious. Even the lobby of my building (Boland) was loaded with security."
According to Director of Housing and Residence Life Tara Hart, "Additional security staff are scheduled, assigned to tasks and dispatched by Public Safety to a variety of locations on campus, including within the residence halls." Every year Housing and Residence life offers extra safety measures for residents and their guests during Groove Boston, Hart said.
"Especially when you dorm on campus and stay over the weekend, it's a good thing to go to," Markowska said.
Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu.edu.
