LAPD crackdown at Dodger Stadium begins at tonight's game; half-price drinks canceled

The Los Angeles Police Department will be out in force Thursday night at Dodger Stadium for the first home game since authorities announced a "zero-tolerance" crackdown on rowdy behavior.

The beefed-up law enforcement presence comes after a Santa Clara paramedic was severely beaten at the Dodgers' home opener.

Fans can expect uniformed officers posted throughout the ballpark. Officials said the officers will be more aggressive about expelling or arresting people who cause trouble.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have scrapped a plan to sell half-priced alcoholic beverages at at six midweek day games this season.

"As we said last week, we wanted to take a look at all our policies regarding alcohol," Dodgers spokesman Josh Rawitch told The Times. "In taking a look, we decided it was the right thing to do."

The get-tough approach is one of several improvements the LAPD and Dodgers organization have promised.

The Dodgers plan to create a computer mapping and crime tracking system for the stadium that is similar to the one the LAPD has used for years to scrutinize crime patterns and hot spots throughout Los Angeles.

Improvements in surveillance and parking lot lighting are planned as well. And the Dodger organization has agreed to revoke the passes of season-ticket holders if they or their guests misbehaved.

Earlier this month, as fans left the stadium after the Dodgers' opening day game against the rival San Francisco Giants, two men attacked 42-year-old Bryan Stow from behind. Stow remains in a medically induced coma and his doctors say he may have suffered brain damage.

RELATED:

Half-priced drinks being scrapped by Dodgers

16 investigators sift through pile of tips to find Bryan Stow's assailants

-- Richard Winton, Joel Rubin and Dylan Hernandez

Photo: Fans line up at a concession stand at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Joe]

The only thing better than watching a baseball game is watching a baseball game from the comfort of home.
The ticket hasn't been printed that I would consider buying.

[Tommy]

Let's hope Beck doesn't make good on his nazi policy of arresting anyone who "talks trash". G-rated banter is part of being at a baseball stadium.

Now anyone being foul mouthed? That's another matter.

Let's have fun out there and remember...it's just a game!!

[zoozie]

Ban the Alcohol. 3 hours. If anybody cannot deal without it for that long, they are alcoholic. And the incident happened in the parking lot, not the staduim. So they better have a calvary of cops out there.

[Jon]

Great start! And I emphasis start. Plain and simple alcohol ignites the aggresiveness in people that have a violent side. They all but banned cigar smoking for outdoor sport events quite a while back, yet I've never heard of tobacco leading to violence.

[Jon]

Great start! And I enphasize start. Plain & simple, alcohol ignites aggresiveness in people with a violent side. they all but banned cigar smoking at outdoor sport events quite a while back, though I have yet to hear of violent acts perpetrated from someone under the influence of tobacco. And in case it matters, no I do not smoke!

[Richard from San Francisco]

Last night's game in SF illustrates the callous attitude of Dodgers when Joe Torrey instructed his pitcher (Lilly) to intentionally hit Buster Posey twice in a row at his first two plate appearances.... at the same time as the Dodgers are professing concern due to Brian Stow incident. This behavior does not set much of an example for families and kids and Torrey should be reprimanded by Dodger ownership.

[Diogenes]

I'll be glad to see the first perp walk out of the stadium to show the LAPD means business.

[derek]

When is the city council going to revoke the Dodgers licquor license? If any bar had the history of troublemakers, murders and assualts they did, they would be shut down.

Take away the license, force McCourt to sell the team, and then negotiate a new license agreement with the new owner once appropriate safety protocols are put in place.

[SNMFX]

Alcohol was the only thing that made the Dodger games tolerable. Gang bangers beating up people is the problem at Dodger stadium. Gang bangers harassing and scaring fans make the game intolerable. How can anyone blame alcohol for a gang banger beating? The 2 gang bangers were not caught, so why was alcohol blamed? You don't know if the gang bangers were drunk or sober. Don't change the policies on 1/2 price drinks. That is the dumbest solution I have ever heard for a gang banger beating. How about this solution. Have the police CARD EVERYONE 18 and over. No Felons admitted, no criminals admitted, and no gang bangers admitted. PROBLEM SOLVED. Now let the Beer truck guy in so we can have our 1/2 price drinks and fun at a Dodger game like every other ballpark in the nation. Beer and Baseball go hand in hand. That is tradition in the USA. McCourt you should let your wife have the Dodgers, as you have no brain in your head and think Beer beat someone up in the Dodger parking lot.

[non-thug dodgerfan]

alchohol is served everywhere at sporting events across this great nation, and drinking heavily is always a very common occurence. i am fine with more security, but don't blame it on the booze. those thugs would have done what they did, drunk or sober. unfortunately i see mccourt raising beer prices yet again under the guise of "security"...bullsh*t. i was at the short stop before the game surrounded by heavy drinkers and there were a few giants fans in the crowd. sure, they took some razing from the patrons (myself included), but it ends there. blame the actions of the individuals and don't take it out on everyone who is there to have fun! also, lets calm down with the racism towards the hispanic dodger fans, there is NEVER any room for that kind of crap.

[scott]

good 1/2 priced beer is a terrible idea anyway.
easy dodger fix is 3 fold
1. open a lapd substation in the stadium
2. offer 1/2 price tickets to all law enforcement. this will put more enforcement then the owner get buy.
3. crack down on alcohol in the parking lot before the game and if anyone tries to enter the stadium drunk they get turned away.

[Danny]

I understand that's it's a good public relations move to scrap half price drinks after an incident like that, but punishing well behaved fans for the actions of 2 idiots is not cool - let's hope it adds to the commissioners reasons as to why the McCourts shouldn't be in LA any longer!

[tom ramirez]

I dont drink beer so It wont make a difference on my part. But its good to see that there will be more crack downs on the unrulely fan.

[garey]

Force frank to sell the team he will never spend the money to secure the stadium.
And I don't. appreciate my tax dollars going to this private enterprise. Paying overtime dollars to gov doughnut eaters is ludicrous

[ForTheKids]

It will take until 2012 to clean this mess up. Let them experiment on other fans while we keep our children out of harms way and enjoy staying home with Vin.

[John]

Thank god, Its about time. A Ball Game Should be fun, not a place of worry.

[Native Angeleno]

The biggest nugget in this news is that McCourt has reluctantly agreed to pay for the costs of the cops, which is one more nail in his financial coffin, and eventual forced sale of the property of the Dodgers he has abused and diminished, as cash cow for his personal use.

[PAULIE]

good luck. thewre are a loto f dark spots out there..

[Dro]

The sad part is the 2 thugs that caused all this will probably be at the game anyway!

[Fredo]

When the media showed a video of a cop slamming down a drunk and disorderly fan at the Qualcomm Stadium last week, all of the bleeding hearts in San Diego cried foul.

[Mike S.]

Now, I can take my family to the ball park, Police = less gangs. YESSSSSSS!!!!!

I know many people feel at home with the gang presence which is sad. Injunctions for the stadium has my support.

[jimbo]

How come it took so long for all the security to be in place? Fights have been going on for years, Dodger stadium is a scary place to be at. You never know if your car will be broken into once you walk into the stadium. Now how about them dirt bag Raider fans that go to San Diego during the games. Thats something that will need to be looked into to! GO ANGELS were its 100 times SAFER then LA.

[arapio]

Sounds like a blast going to a game with 100 cops and paddy wagons waiting outside.. This was once a great stadium and city..

[mj]

Frank is so stoked they had to cancel the half price thing.

[Chris Blair]

... a "zero-tolerance" crackdown on rowdy behavior.

... officers will be more aggressive about expelling or arresting people who cause trouble.

... to revoke the passes of season-ticket holders if they or their guests misbehaved.

Would someone please define or clarify what is rowdy behavior, causing trouble or misbehaving?

Gee, what could possibly go wrong?