Police get tough on Dodger Stadium tailgating, 132 arrested

Police promised a crackdown on tailgaters at the Dodger’s home opener -- and they delivered.

A total of 132 people were arrested Tuesday, with most accused of drinking in public, said Capt. William Murphy of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Several more were arrested on suspicion of scalping tickets and illegal vending, he said. More than 50 traffic and parking citations also were handed out.

“Overall, it was a far better day than last year,” Murphy said. “No major incidents.”

Tailgating -- with or without alcohol -- is not allowed in the Dodger Stadium parking lots. In years past, fans say, security officers looked the other way unless they were unruly or drunk. Last year, the Dodgers made a pointed effort to crack down on drinking in stadium parking lots.

"It's always been a rule, but it's only recently been enforced in the last couple of years," said Carol Mitchell, an off-duty Los Angeles police officer working Monday as a security officer for the Dodgers. She said people had been generally calm and cooperative so she has tried to be equally low-key.

-- Kate Linthicum

Photo: Terry Romero, who has been to every opening day since Dodger Stadium was built, criticized the effort to curtail tailgating. Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[James]

Why do adults pay good money to be ripped-off and treated like second-class citizens? You can't drink out of a cooler in the trunk of your car but you CAN pay $8.00 for a watery cup of warm beer in the stadium. Only a fool or a child would buy a ticket to a sporting event.

[Go Blue 2010]

If you dont get moving from your car within 5 minutes you will be harrassed by the police at the Dodger stadium lot. Drunks, cops and illegal vending too boot. Jamie McCourt has lifestyle to uphold Dodger fans. Better seats in front of the TV.

[paul]

How many guns and knives were confiscated from that lovely group of fans?

[paul]

How many guns and knives were confiscated from that lovely group of fans?

[No Fun For You]

That's right. Crack down on people out to enjoy a ballgame.
That's what this city needs. That'll teach 'em.

[Benny]

Wow huge bust, way to ruin a Dodger home game LAPD......Were so proud of how ur spending our tax money!

[absoloot]

Can't these people do anything "without" the word ILLEGAL being in the title????????

[Regman999]

Were these people arrested or ticketed??? Jeez!!

[Edknight]

ha ha

[Tom]

OH Puh .... leeze. The City doesn't have enough cops but we are arresting people for drinking beer at a ball game. Nice priorities LAPD.

[ChillOut!]

Is there anything not illegal in this city?

[ChillOut!]

Is there anything that's not illegal in this city?

[tmen]

"NO MAJOR INCIDENTS"
REALLY ?
How about the 2 tons of litter on every inch of the park ! It was disgusting !
What a slap in the face to the local residents! I was walking in the park at 9am and it was seemingly out of control already ! I saw a few cops here and there , but it was waaay too big of a crowd !
The Dodgers and the Mc Courts(sp?) are partly to blame .They should open the gates at 6am and let people tail gate which would be in a more contained space and perhaps have a better handle on the situation . They would rather have 56,000 fans spill into the park and the adjacent neighborhoods !

WHAT A DISASTER !

[JAKE]

Thank God.
I feel safer already.

[Big Jim Slade]

One has to wonder how many illegal aliens were arrested in all of Los Angeles yesterday and wonder whether the LAPD's priorities are completely upside down.

Dodger Stadium is private property after all!

[sparker]

I UNDERSTAND THE DODGER SECURITY PUT A STOP TO ANYONE JUST HAVING A SANDWICH IN THE PARKING LOT, WITHOUT ANY ALCHOHOL BEING CONSUMED.
IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY OF THE DODGERS SURE, BUT SITTING IN YOUR CAR EATING BEFORE THE GAME ISN'T UNLAWFUL. BUT IF YOU TELL THEM TO GO **** THEMSELVES, THEY'D FORCIBLY EJECT YOU OFF THE PROPERTY ......EVEN AFTER PAYING TO PARK , WHICH SHOULD BE A CRIME.

BUT WHAT DOES Mc-WHATS-HIS-FACE EXPECT WHEN A SODA AND DODGER DOG FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR COSTS OVER $40.00?
I HATE THAT GUY.....

[GIL]

COPS ONLY GAVE PEOPLE A HARD TIME WHEN THEY SAW THE CAMERAMAN.....ONLY FOR SHOW

[Barnacle Bob]

Shame on Dodgers Fans for tail-gating instead of drinking the overpriced "beer-water" sold inside Dodgers Stadium!

[Ben Dover]

What a dump, time for a new stadium

[Anton Chigurh]

Really? "Cracking down" on tailgating? I fully support the LAPD and the mammoth job they have in policing this city. That's why this is a waste of time, especially with the muder rate up. Why not "crack down" on some of these gangsters making life miserable for residents in some areas of the city?
With two failed pennant attempts and the soap opera the McCourts have brought to the Dodgers, they Dodgers should be THRILLED that they have devoted, die-hard fans that want to tailgate before their home games. Of course security needs to monitor unruly behavior and illegal vending. But come on!
*The economy is in the dump
*People have real problems
Let them tailgate and drink in the parking lot before the game!
Part of the NFL's success is that each game is an EVENT, with tailgating being part of that event. Wake UP!

[dodger fan]

Really? there was a BANDA playing BANDA MUSIC outside the right field pavilion paid for by fans who brought the banda in from outside. Nothing was done and they played for an hour and a half. there was even dodger employees and people of all races dancing. best of all no incidents. Dodger personnel should think twice and let tailgating become a tradition just like any other sport. if a banda can play outside right field pavilion with no incidents then people should be allowed to taligate with no incidents.

[haminator]

Wow, I didn't know they were cracking down on people who were just there enjoying snacks and not boozing. There were a ton of people just hanging out and having a good time - playing catch, eating chips and dip, talking with other fans, and yes, drinking (but keeping it SUPER low-pro), myself included. Several officers and security guards drove right past us and our neighbors on both sides because we weren't causing a problem. We saw a lot of people get tickets though. All in all it was a great day though, capped off with a V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

[Jim Q. Citizen]

Hats off to the Dodgers and L.A.P.D. for finally enforcing the rules at Dodger Stadium. Thanks for putting an end to drunken low-life cholo gang-banger's ruining baseball for the general public. Now I wish they would crack-down on other recreational areas that are being ruined by these ignorant and rude people.

[Sevalley]

Sad day in Dodgertown. Even in college sports right here in LA, tailgating is a time honored tradition. A few bad apples ruining it for the rest.

[Jess]

It costs McCourt much less(say $5,000)to hire 10 off duty LAPD officers to patrol the lots and curtail tailgating, and it results in, I dunno, maybe $30,000 or more in beer sales inside the stadium... He's a genius. Say what you want, but he is a good businessman.