Today's Question: What steps should police take to maintain control at MU football games?

With the football season fast approaching, and eager fans waiting to return to Faurot Field with a fresh wave of Mizzou spirit, crowd control and underage drinking is certain to be on the agenda of the Columbia Police Department.

During home games the town is flooded with thousands of students and alumni who require organized parking for tailgating. Although the official Mizzou tailgating site notes that alcoholic beverages are strictly forbidden in bulk amounts at any lot surrounding Memorial Stadium, drinking and football have long been a staple in the sports world. Consequently, past years have seen wide-spread problems with underage drinking and drunk driving incidents. As previously reported by the Missourian, past seasons have shown that minors can make-up more than 90 percent of drinking violations at football games.

In an attempt to control swelling crowds, police control traffic lights and parking on the roads surrounding the field. They direct traffic and watch for unruly fans. Also, recent road construction has created more lanes on south Providence and extra turn lanes to make the road more navigable. These new additions should help drivers navigate through the heavy crowds who tailgate at Reactor Field, as well as provide pedestrians with wider shoulders for walking.

How should the Columbia Police Department deal with alcohol violations and parking for the upcoming football season?