Police Brace For Picnic Day: Fines Will Be Doubled For Downtown Violations

Davis authorities want to "change the culture" of Picnic Day, which is associated by many with all-day partying and excessive alcohol consumption. 

The event demands a heavy police presence, which is why the city has renewed a "safety enhancement zone" for the downtown core for this Saturday's celebration. The Davis Police Department provided the following details: 

The Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance allows the City Council, through a proclamation, to declare a specified geographical area as a safety zone during a designated time frame. This declaration then doubles the base fine for specified city ordinance violations committed within the declared Safety Enhancement Zone. The 2013 Picnic Day resolution has already been approved and will go into effect April 19 at 6pm and end on April 21 at 6 am. Those who are cited for possessing open containers of alcohol, urinating in public, violating the smoking ordinance, and violating the general noise ordinance in the safety zone will face a minimum fine of $408.00.

City and university officials have worked together with their communities through various workgroups to find effective ways to address the issues identified as being problematic and bring forth solutions. One such effort from the Davis Downtown Business Association (DDBA) and Davis Chamber of Commerce resulted in the drafting a covenant, which has been distributed to all alcohol licensees. The covenant, in short, obtains a commitment from those who sell alcohol to refrain from offering drink specials, refrain from engaging in  the sales of alcohol early in the day/morning, and refrain from creating a nightclub atmosphere. The full covenant can be viewed on the DDBA website. So far, sixty eight businesses have signed on to participate as covenant signers.

City and university officials, police representatives, and community members have been reaching out to community groups to educate them on what to expect come Picnic Day. The Davis Police Department, the University of California Davis Police Department, and staff from the UC Davis Safe Party Initiative have been working with student groups in an effort to provide educational materials on hosting responsible, safe parties. This will be accomplished through the distribution of “party packs” to identified apartment complexes and residences that have a history of Picnic Day parties or party complaints. The packets will include information about how to host responsible parties, the potential consequences (from both the City & UCD) of not partying responsibly, and educational materials on identifying alcohol poisoning. Also included in the party packs will be information on the adopted Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance.

The map below depicts the boundaries of the Safety Enhancement Zone that will be in effect from 6:00, Friday, April, 19th, 2013 until 6:00 am Sunday, April 21st, 2013.