BY PETER O’CAIN, Staff Reporter

Alcohol-related arrests on campus have declined over the past three years, but are on the rise off campus.

Central police made 50 alcohol-law arrests in 2012 compared to 64 in 2011 and 62 in 2010, according to the Central’s annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

It is unclear if this is due to fewer students consuming alcohol on campus, but Central Police Chief Mike Luvera believes students are conducting themselves more responsibly while intoxicated.

“We’re telling them ways in which not to get arrested for alcohol violation issues,” Luvera said.

This means students likely won’t get arrested without giving police a reason to do so.

Even with fewer violations, Central is outpacing its larger contemporaries Eastern Washington University and Western Washington University by a large margin.

In 2012, Eastern and Western combined for 57 liquor law violations (42 at Eastern and 15 at Western), according to their annual security reports. In 2011, Eastern had seven arrests and Western had 56, combining for one more than Central’s 62.

Central also has had fewer alcohol-related emergency calls.

Emergency Medical Services “has had a significant decrease in the number of times they’ve been called to campus,” said Rich Elliott, deputy chief at Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue.

KVFR has transported 80 patients to hospitals this year, 35 of whom were identified as Central students.

Elliott said much of this is due to a redefining of what warrants an EMS call.

“We’ve been working with housing to figure out the criteria that warrants a call,” Elliott said.

In previous years, EMS often responded to calls in which the patient didn’t need emergency services, Elliott said. It costs the department about $250 every time EMS responds to a call.

Responding to unnecessary calls had also been costing KVFR money. KVFR must have at least five people available to respond to calls at all times, Elliott said. If they dip below five available people, an off-duty person is called in to work, and then that person has to be paid.

In contrast to the on-campus improvements, off-campus arrests for alcohol violations are up.

In 2012, Ellensburg police made 212 off-campus arrests for alcohol violations and have made 240 this year, according to Capt. Dan Hansberry of the Ellensburg Police department. The totals do not distinguish between Central students and non-students.

Vandalism has risen as well. Much of this is a result of multiple house parties, Hansberry said.

“Vandalism in the neighborhoods is up. And that comes from moving from one location to the next,” Hansberry said.

Hansberry explained that people are moving from one party to another throughout the night while intoxicated and damaging property as they go. This includes stealing signs, breaking mailboxes and yard ornaments, trampling flower beds and urinating on porches.

Ellensburg is combating this by placing officers in neighborhoods where parties are happening.

“If we have parties going on in a neighborhood, we’re going to flood that neighborhood with officers,” Hansberry said.