University Increases Tigerfest Police Grant

granted $14,000 to the Baltimore County Police Department to fund additional patrols in nearby neighborhoods during next weekend's, police and university officials said.

That's a raise from the , which was doubled from 2010.

"We were asked last year by the county for more money so that they could have better staffing so they could add whatever behavior could happen outside of the campus, in the neighborhoods for particular," said Jana Varwig, the university's associate vice president for student affairs.

Tigerfest is scheduled for Friday, April 27, and includes a concert headlined by rapper Kid Cudi.

  police Lt. Randy Guraleczka said, the grant money will pay for the following:

• Six officers working between 6:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. on the night of Thursday, April 26
• Twenty-seven officers working on Friday, April 27 between 11 a.m. and 3 a.m.
• Twenty-six officers working on Saturday, April 28 between 11 a.m. and 3 a.m.

Officers will be concentrated in nearby neighborhoods, including Burkleigh Square, Towson Manor Village, Knollwood/Donnybrook and near the Colony apartments.

In addition, several university staffers will be driving through the neighborhoods, and the university's complaint line (410-704-5433) will be staffed until 11 p.m.

This is the second Tigerfest since university officials made big changes to the annual tradition, including moving it to a Friday evening and relocating it from Burdick Field to Johnny Unitas Stadium.

And, like last year, students will not be allowed to leave and re-enter the stadium.

The changes, including an increased police presence, , residents said.

"You know something's going on but it's not obnoxious," said Trish Mayhugh, president of the Riderwood Hills Community Association. "Maybe having the cops around may have kept everybody on a little better behavior."

According to police, 42 citations were issued during last year's Tigerfest weekend, mostly for alcohol-related offenses, including underage drinking and open containers.