As the city is bustling with people and festivities, Chief of Point Park Police Jeffrey Besong is not naive enough to think students will refrain from joining in the celebration of the annual Pittsburgh St. Patrick Day’s Parade.

Besong has a series of tips – starting with staying with friends – to ensure the day, when more than 100,000 people converge on Downtown and campus for one of the largest parades in the country, goes smoothly.

“Treat yourself and others with respect. Sexual assaults, physical assaults, vandalism, destruction of property and other violations of our community standards will not be tolerated. If you observe behavior that’s dangerous or concerning, say something or contact public safety for assistance,” Besong said.

No spoilsport, Besong encourages students to have a fun time, but also warns students who violate Point Park’s Code of Conduct or Pennsylvania law that they could face criminal charges and disciplinary probation or suspension from Point Park. 

“If going out with a group of friends, have everyone buddy up to make sure they get home safely. Travel in numbers and wear green. Let someone know where you are and what time you are due back to campus,” Besong said.

He realizes everyone wants to enjoy themselves, but stressed that students should know their limits, so they don’t become a burden on others and can remember what happened the next morning. 

Students should carry their University identification card at all times. He also encouraged not carrying valuables to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade or any other celebration.

Besong says there are plenty of fun things to do on St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends, but it’s important to have a high level of awareness when it comes to safety. 

“Remember, the choices you make reflect on not only your reputation, but also that of the University,” Besong said. 

Freshman forensic science major Bria Marsonek was standing on the parade route last year with her family when they noticed a large, orange-haired, shirtless man running full speed through the tightly packed crowd.

“Luckily, I jumped out of the way, but my cousin was basically trampled by this man, and that was the last we saw of him,” Marsonek said.

Marsonek’s story should remind everyone to always be looking out for anything that could go wrong to keep out of harm’s way.

Freshman Cheyenne Rychorcewicz was getting lunch while watching the parade last year and when walking by a building she noticed a young man, clearly intoxicated, vandalizing property. 

“When I was walking by, I saw him smash the glass casing of a fire extinguisher with his head. It completely shattered, and his forehead started bleeding instantly,” Rychorcewicz said. 

Junior acting major Perris Drew has definitely seen his share of interesting people on the day of the parade, especially last year.

“Seeing the amount of drunk people downtown on this day is a sight to see,” Drew said. “It was also somewhat funny seeing intoxicated people being pulled into Lawrence Hall lobby because they couldn’t keep it together outside amongst all the action. One of my friends became so drunk, they were passed out for at least an hour. The turn-up is real on St. Patrick’s Day.”