Turtle Creek notifies residents to expect larger police presence
By MEGHANNE DOWNES News Editor
The management of Turtle Creek Apartments notified residents that local police departments are aware of today's planned Rally in the Alley, adding that they should expect an increased police presence at the apartment complex for the remainder of the year.
Student residents said the notice is the first they received since they moved into their apartments.
Rally in the Alley is a traditional party that occurs at the beginning of the school year in August and on the last day of classes in April.
The notification, a copy of which was obtained by The Observer, warned residents to act responsibly and reminded them of the complex's rules regarding parties.
"In light of the recent events surrounding the University and the city, you should anticipate a stepped up police presence in and around Turtle Creek throughout the remainder of the year," the notification said, referring to two raids on South Bend bars this semester and a party police broke up March 17 at College Park.
According to the party guidelines attached to the notification, guests should not "mingle in hallways or areas outside" the apartment and music should be kept to a manageable level.
Typically, Rally in the Alley is the largest second-semester party held at Turtle Creek. In the past, dozens of residents host parties in their apartments, and thousands ofNotre Dame and Saint Mary's students crowd the corridors between apartment buildings. Past parties have typically been broken up by South Bend police officers.
The letter said South Bend Police, Notre Dame Security and Police and Excise Police are aware of the planned party. Attempts to reach South Bend Police and Excise Police were unsuccessful. Rex Rakow, director of NDSP, said his office did not have jurisdiction in Turtle Creek, which is adjacent to the east side of campus.
"We only end up off campus at the request of another agency," Rakow said.
He added that NDSP has not been contacted to assist an outside agency in breaking up Rally in the Alley.
The resident manager of Turtle Creek Apartments, Tammy Michelbrink, declined to comment.
Rarely has Excise Police, the agency in charge of monitoring alcohol-related laws, been involved in breaking up past Rally in the Alleys.
But Excise Police broke up a St. Patrick's Day party at College Park apartments, and officers from that agency have also been involved in raiding two bars this semester — The Boat Club in January and The Library Irish Pub Friday.
It is unclear what effect — if any — the warning will have on the size of Rally in the Alley.
Kim Milford, a Notre Dame senior and Turtle Creek resident, said she and her roommates are still deciding whether to throw a party.
"After what we have seen at College Park [on Saint Patrick's Day] and all the extra security at Pig Tostal, it's just not worth it and it has ruined off-campus parties," Milford said.
Milford said she would think twice before attending Rally if she were underage and selling cups to students.
All News Stories for Wednesday, May 7, 2003
