The weekend before Penn State classes begin each August is typically a busy one for State College police, with an influx of thousands of people following an often quiet summer.
But as with most things during the COVID-19 pandemic, this wasn’t a typical move-in weekend.
Lt. Greg Brauser described the weekend activity as ‘very mild.’
Between Friday and Monday, State College and Penn State police and the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement filed 10 citations for underage drinking within the borough, according to records from the two district courts covering downtown State College and University Park. State College police also filed one summary citation each for disorderly conduct and a noise ordinance violation during that same time frame.
Penn State police’s daily crime log shows open cases of harassment, marijuana possession, liquor law violations and disorderly conduct from over the weekend. A student also reported being sexually assaulted by a known person in East Halls. Police issued a Timely Warning in that case and the investigation is still open.
Brauser said no citations have been issued for violations of the borough’s new temporary ordinance to enforce COVID-19 mitigation measures, which includes limits on gathering sizes at residences and municipal property, restrictions on waiting lines outside businesses, and masking requirements.
‘Right now we’re focused on education, not enforcement, unless someone is being defiant,’ Brauser said.
The department received a number of calls about potential violations, Brauser said. Officers handed out flyers and explained the ordinance and found no resistance to complying among anyone they approached.
‘It was non-confrontational all around,’ he said.
Brauser said police found no violations of waiting line limitations, which restrict queues on public sidewalks outside of businesses to no more than 10 people wearing masks and spaced 6 feet apart.
Officers responded to several calls about potential violations of gathering limits at residences but found they were not in excess of the ordinance, which limits gatherings to 10 people at all residential properties. When a household is larger than 10, no additional people are permitted beyond the size of the household.
Penn State summarily suspended Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, 417 E. Prospect Ave., and the chapter’s executives for allegedly hosting a social gathering of approximately 70 people, including about three dozen non-members, on Saturday in violation of the university and Interfraternity Council moratorium on social functions. The chapter’s leaders also refused entry to university monitors. Disciplinary proceedings are underway for the fraternity and its leadership.
Brauser said State College police were not called to the fraternity house at that time. Officers did respond to the house at another time on Saturday following a call about a group of people entering the house, but Brauser said they found the number of people there was within the limits of the ordinance.
