[at-l] Policing at Trail Days

[ox97game at aol.com (ox97game@aol.com)]

OK.  For all those that have posted on this with all the varying opinions.   This is America and everyone is entitled to their two cents worth on any topic.   This isnt intended to bash or praise anyone, rather to give some insight and enlighten some of you to facts that have led to the situation being what it is at Trail Days.
 
This year was my 9th year at Trail Days.  I can say that there have been a tremendous amount of change over the years.   The festival has grown significantly since my first time there.   This can be accounted to the increased number of hikers on the trail each year, the increase in number of previous year hikers returning to the festival, publicity bringing in more non-hiking folks to the festival.
 
With the increase in number of people, there can also be expected to be an increase in what we will call 'bottom feeders'.  (folks that prey on others)
 
When I first started attending, the size of the hiker crowd in 'tent city' was still manageable.  You could camp near the river and have room to walk around to find your tent.   In 2002, tent city had exceeded the size of the designated area, and hikers were pitching their tents in anyone's yards they could find (but not always ask permission to do so).   This frustrated some of the locals who didnt like hikers 'watering' their at all hours of the day and night.  The town started looking at areas to move the camping so that it was not becoming a problem for local folks.  
 
Another issue that led to moving the camping out to the new campground was the drum circle.   The city had put a restriction on drumming past midnight, but the hikers kept drumming round the clock anyway.   The options were to either ban all drums from the festival, enforce the quiet hours, or move the drum circle to a location where it wouldnt keep the local folks up all night.    
 
In past years there have been problems with crime at Trail Days.  It started off as a few drunk and disordly charges and occassionally possion of drugs.  Relatively harmless crimes that didnt need to be policed and monitored.  In recent years however, the crimes had gotten more serious.  There have been incidences of vandalism, robbery, beatings/stabbings, rape, as well as serious drug overdoses.   Drunken/stoned hikers (or out-of-towners, who can tell the difference at TD) would just crawl into whatever tent they could find, or local's porch, and pass out.  People would get out of control and had no respect for the rights of others.  The reputation for Trail Days had become one of a drug enduced, drunken, orgy fest.   It wasnt safe for hikers or locals alike.  The law was brought in enmass to restore a little order and feeling of security in the town for those few days each year.   The law is there to protect the towns people and the hikers.   
 
They have moved the festivities to the campground to buffer the townsfolks from the latenight noise and to allow the festival to grow in coming years by expanding the number of tentsites available.
 
Yes, those that went to Trail Days this year for the first time probably saw things that they didnt like or wanted to question, and it may have appeared that the show of force was unnecessary or excessive.   But, without rules and order, you end up with chaos.   15,000 people in chaos is not a good thing.  The objective of Trail Days is to celebrate the hikers that hike through each year.  It was not designed to be an annual WoodStock, Greatful Dead, or Phish concert.    If that is what you are looking for, then go elsewhere.  I dont have an issue with folks partying, but they need to party responsibly.   At TD, that isnt always the case.
 
We must remember that the town puts on the festival FOR the hikers.  They open their homes and businesses. They welcome us, and then deal with the mess we leave behind.  It is their right to allow it to continue or not continue.  It wasnt too many years back that the town was seriously considering cancelling Trail Days permenantly, and I cant say as I would have blamed them.   Bottom line is that everyone that goes to an event such as Trail Days should act as if they were hosting the party in their own back yard.   Damascus is trying to remain the 'Friendliest town on the Trail'.  It is too bad that a few bad apples may ruin it for all of us, and the future generations of hikers that would hike along the long narrow footpath.
 
Ox-97GaMe