((this year))...at Summer Camp
SURPRISE!! When you put tens of thousands of kids (kids=16 to 36 year olds...my opinion!) together with nice weather, live music, camping, etc. is it really that shocking that a few hundred people out of tens of thousands decided to use the opportunity/environment presented to them to do illegal activities? Tell me -- tell me I'm wrong in what I am about to say... Most people in the U.S. have never attended an event quite like Summer Camp. Because of this, there is a HUGE segment of our society that, while considering themselves "open-minded" on issues such as gay marriage and the separation of religion and education, will read/see the headline above (see title of posting) and then draw the conclusion that those people who were arrested (ultimately representing only a small percentage of overall attendees of the festival) represent the majority of people who would be attending a festival and festivities such as Summer Camp, Peace Fest, Burning Man, etc.
While I am not going to sit here and try and tell you (you, reader!) that 99% of the people in this scene are anti-illegal activities, the simple fact of the matter is that the overall attitude of those who attend these sorts of events, while it can be said to be generally more accepting and tolerant of the use of certain substances, illegal and legal, to "enhance" the festival experience, to generalize these concepts to the extent one believes that most people there are just there for the party (i.e., illegal substances, generally "psychedelic" drugs) and not really for the music, people, and environment is just the same as assuming every young Black, white, or Hispanic male between 16 and 36 who wears the suuuuper baggy pants, waist at the knees almost, with some flat-brimmed hat representing a sports team or hometown/city MUST (or, at least 99% of them MUST) be in a gang/be a drug dealer/have a criminal record/has spent time in jail/prison. We all know that not only is this not true but it's not right; it's thoughts and ideas and value-systems that are based on these types of views that lead people to truly dislike, hate, and look down on. Read on and draw your own conclusions...
By Matt Buedel
CHILLICOTHE — Police seized more than 16 pounds of marijuana and a rainbow of other drugs while making hundreds of drug-related arrests at the Summer Camp Music Festival.
The annual Memorial Day weekend event at Three Sisters Park drew tens of thousands of revelers from around the country for what ended as one of the wettest and coldest festivals since the event’s inception more than a decade ago.
The inclement conditions overall appeared to have resulted in fewer safety-related calls but did not dampen drug activity, law enforcement officials said Wednesday after releasing a preliminary tally of arrests and illegal substance seizures.
“With the weather we were dealing with and everything else, I think everything went as well as can be expected,” said Chillicothe police Chief Scott Mettille. “It seemed like there were less calls and less incidents to respond to out there.”
Still, between patrols by Illinois State Police outside the park grounds and operations on the grounds by officers with the Chillicothe Police Department, Peoria County Sheriff’s Office and Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group (MEG), hundreds of arrests were made.
According to figures released by police, patrol efforts resulted in 272 citations for traffic and criminal offenses and two arrests for outstanding warrants. Written warnings totaled 268. Other non-patrol enforcement efforts resulted in 119 drug-related arrests.
“Initially, I thought with the weather we would be less active,” said MEG Director Rene Sandoval.
“When you stop and look at the stats, they definitely reflect that we were busy out there. … The place was pretty active.”
While the variety of drugs encountered at the festival is unusual when compared to typical drug seizures in the area, the mixture of drugs such as Ecstasy, LSD, mushrooms and stimulants were as expected.
But the seizure of those substances was only one part of a three-pronged approach law enforcement take at the festival, Sandoval said. Officers are there primarily to provide safety for concert attendees and neighboring Chillicothe residents and help promoters with security efforts, in addition to enforcing state and federal drug laws.
“People who go out there need to take responsibility for their actions,” Sandoval said.
By the numbers...
Police on patrol in and around Three Sisters Park for Summer Camp Music Festival over Memorial
Day weekend seized a variety of drugs, broken down by substance below.
Marijuana: 7,547.7 grams
Ecstasy: 137.7 grams powder and 218 pills
LSD: 187 hits and three strips
Methamphetamine: 310.4 grams
Ketamine: 230.8 grams
Psilocybin mushrooms: 256.1 grams
Cocaine: 11.1 grams
Hashish: 164 grams
THC: 256.1 grams
Assorted prescription medicines: 120 pills
Nitrous oxide: One large tank, two cases of individual units
Read more: http://www.pjstar.com/news/x83401589/Police-make-hundreds-of-drug-arrests-at-Summer-Camp#ixzz2ZWsIRyZL
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