Police prepare for highly anticipated CMU-MSU football game

As Central Michigan University students get ready for the Michigan State University football game, cops throughout the area are making plans as well.

With tickets sold out and temporary bleachers being installed, the police departments are preparing for a busy weekend.

Mount Pleasant Public Information Officer Jeff Thompson said his department will likely treat the game like Western Weekend, bringing in more officers than normal to make sure everyone stays safe.

“All local agencies have been brought in together and share resources to make sure everything has been covered as it should be,” he said. “We’re bringing in all officers to work in some capacity throughout the area. We are also bringing in a bunch of extra state police from out of town to assist.”

Like the Mount Pleasant Police Department, Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said the majority of his department will be working, focusing on after parties.

“We expect it to be quite a bit busier than most of the home games we’ve had in the past,” Mioduszewski said. “Just about everyone from my department will be working over the weekend.”

With so many students and so much commotion, Mioduszewski said multiple agencies will be working together with a game plan to make sure everyone stays safe before, during and after the game.

“All of the agencies work very well together and we help each other out and do what we can,” he said. “We will bring in extra deputies, we’ll be working in conjunction with the Sheriff’s department, Mount Pleasant, MSU and CMU police and possibly the Saginaw (Chippewa) Tribal Police.”

Thompson said tailgate crowds have been smaller in the last couple years so his department has instead focused on the city nightlife. But if the CMU police ask for more officers, Thompson said they will provide.

“I know we’re planning for a busy weekend,” he said. “If we are requested by CMU for tailgate we’ll absolutely give them one to two officers in extra to help them with their tailgating.”

Preparing for the worst, Mioduszewski said there will be two transport vans in the area in case there is a mass arrest. However, he hopes students celebrate the game without getting carried away.

“I’d like to ask CMU and MSU students to have a good time, but do it responsibly. Don’t get out of control. Use good common sense,” he said. “My hope is that everyone has a good time.”

Similar to the MSU game, Thompson said the police force is planning for a busy weekend during the Navy game as well. However, he doesn’t see crowds getting as out of hand.

“We’re going to have a lot more local troops just as spectators,” he said. “So I’d have to imagine there won’t be too many issues at the game, hopefully.”