halloween over the decades
timeline of events
1970
THE DECADE IT ALL BEGAN
1978
A party of 500 people degenerated a mini-riot when party-goers started to throw rocks and bottles at two Foot Patrol officers biking near. Police officers called for backup and 43 deputies responded to the area. The crowd successfully started the riot at 1:15 am. Resulted in 18 arrested, 4 taken in on charges of felony assault. 11 of those arrests were out of towners.
Witnesses statements varied from describing instances of police violence to saying "the students were crazier than the police."
1980
THE PEAK OF THE INSANITY
1980
Estimated to have around 2.500 people, but it was fairly quiet.
1983
6,000 people in Del Playa Drive, 5 of them were naked, and 2 out of them were arrested. The highlight of the evening was the arrest of a giant pink bunny for hosing down the crowd of party-goers. Overall 26 people were arrested, and 5 jailed.
1986
Breakthrough year of attendees and crime. 30,000 people in DP. Over 100 law officers in sight ready for the worst, reports said there were no major problems. 62 arrests for public intoxication, over 100 citations for illegal drinking. Marks the first year of the open container ordinance, prohibiting everyone from carrying open containers of alcohol on the street. Cups were to be carried upside down while in the street. 2 people fell from the cliffs.
At least 12 reports of rape, attempted rape, or sexual battery reported. Marked the year of the rise of student concerns in relation to out of towners and the consequences to their actions.
1987
Deputies prepared for 60,000 people in attendance, but there were actually 35,000. Overall 264 arrests and 832 citations were given. Over 80% of arrests were from out of towners, only 5% being UCSB students. One student fell from DP cliffs. Deputies described the crowd as a lot calmer than they expected. This year, officers were already encouraging UCSB to stay local and keep out of towners away.
Marked the beginning of RED Alert: Respect, Equality, and Dignity Alert organization started by students in Spring 1986 in response to students' concerns about violence during Halloween. The group of 200-300 people included students, community residents, staff, faculty, and administration. The budget included money for walkie talkie rental, t-shirts, extra police presence, and porta potty rentals. The volunteers walked down DP and Sabado Tarde in small groups with walkie-talkies to report incidents. Also relied on 2 informational booths with maps, information on the location of volunteers, and providing assistance for those lost/in need.
In addition to RED Alert, 1987 was also remember by the start of the Taking Back The Night protests. Consisted of a group of 600 (mostly UCSB students) participants that aimed to decrease the number of incidents of sexual assault during Halloween. Worked to increase awareness of the problem. Held an on-campus rally and march prior to 1987's Halloween.
In addition, instead of a warning, police were required to cite anyone carrying an open container of alcohol. Local residents of IV aimed to stay "as far away from IV as possible". Increasingly negative attitudes about the event.
1987 also counted with the initiated the use of barricades on the streets. Only residents with photo ID and proof of IV residency allowed to pass barricades after a certain point in time. Overall, 250 student volunteers from RED Alert helped patrol streets in addition to the barricades. Volunteers warned party-goers they could be arrested for various offenses.
1989
Deputy compared Halloween to "a slow Saturday night", only 185 arrests, 56% credited to out of towners. Only 15,000 out on the streets to party.
1990
DECADE OF DAMAGE CONTROL
1991
Estimated 25,000 revelers. Of those, 120 were jailed and 350 issued citations. More than 100 deputies teamed with UCSB police officers to patrol the area. 2 people fell from DP cliffs. In addition to those out on the street, police arrested over 350 people during a Halloween bash.
1992
Over 40,000 revelers. Police claimed victory over potential riots and mob scenes with a weekend of minimal violence. Over 1,000 arrests and citations combined. Over 70% out of town schools were represented among the arrested and cited students. Approximately 700 bookings. 2 people fell from DP cliffs, both found in critical conditions.
1993
The birth of the five-year plan and the no-tolerance policy. Five-year plan: a program implemented by deputies to bring Halloween to be local again. 5-year enforcement of no tolerance, where custody arrests were made whenever possible (rather than just citing), higher fines for infractions, and ban on both live and amplified pre-recorded music. drastically increased police presence. Responsible for $200,000 extra spending yearly. Total of 25,000 revelers. 425 ended the night in jail, and 250 received citations. 93% of violators were non-residents.
documented citations, arrests, and bookings
Data is missing from some years, may not accurately reflect full extent of crime. Arrests and citations in light orange, bookings in dark orange.
1994
Police were prepared for riotous conditions, and residents were prepared for a virtual military state and everyone expected the worst, but it was actually a good time according to testimonials at the time. UCSB AS president Geoff Green organized teams to monitor police activity with video cameras and notepads. He said this would provide an "incentive for officers to be more careful so there are fewer instances where people feel mistreated by law enforcement." Only 3,000 party goers. Overall of 97 arrested over a 4-day period. 120 officers on duty but many sent home due to "peaceful" conditions.
"Monday night was so mellow that little kids in costume were seen trick-or-treating in Del Playa, party central, and police kept busy handing out candy, not citations."
UCSB was responsible for sending out information to other schools to notify them of new rules and warn not to come.
1996
Halloween 1996 ended with 43 revelers in jail and 79 issued citations, with over 100 officers assigned to patrol IV. Many students complained about "unnecessary police presence". Expected to be a stepping stone back to a local, community-based holiday. The new festival implemented by IVRPD began Thursday of Halloween weekend and included a costume parade down the Embarcadero loop, a best dressed costume contest judged by a mystery celebrity panel, carnival game booths including a dunk tank, vendors from local restaurants, a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Midnight in IV theater, and music at Anisq' Oyo' park.
1997
Final year of the five-year plan. Only 15 deputies and 18 IV foot patrol officers on the street. The cost of security in 1997 was only $72,409 compared to 1993's cost that totaled $191,123. Overall 13 people ended up in jail and 40 citations were issued.
1998
Increase in crowd size, likely due to the end of the five-year plan. The police presence remained in force. It was also reported an increase in arrests (54 total) and citations (100 total) for the first time in several years.
2000
RESURGENCE OF THE PARTY
2003
A UCSB fraternity and sorority joined forces to host a haunted house on Friday of Halloween in Isla Vista for children and their parents from the area. The haunted house was open from 4 to 6 pm and contained age-appropriate rooms for children from kindergarten through fifth grade -- and candy.
A controversial email was sent by the Office of Student Life campus-wide with the subject line Halloween in Isla Vista: The party is over. warning students of possible violations and fines, and that UCSB would be notifying parents of alcohol-related crimes. No loud music after 6 pm. No tolerance policy in effect again. 100 deputies patrolling the streets that weekend.
The police were now allowed to confiscate any kegs in sight, and parties deemed "out of control" would be shut down. UCSB created fliers describing penalties for crimes and distributed to students, nearby college campuses, and local landlords. Students in dorms restricted from having guests. Police presence increased.
Besides their efforts, it was a wild weekend regardless, with 40,000-50,000 revelers in the streets. The police ended up needing 114 officers. 174 citations were issued, and 99 people were booked in jail, with 24 of them being UCSB students.
"I have never seen that many people in IV or on Del Playa Drive. In particular areas, crowds on DP were getting bottlenecked and people were getting stepped on or trampled" -Mitchell Molitor, who has worked Halloween night in IV for the past nine years.
Approximately 40 volunteers from Associated Students, CALPIRG, Isla Vista Recreation and Park District, various fraternities and sororities, and the Community Environmental Council's Watershed Restoration Program picked up trash, used condoms, costume pieces, and broken glasses the next day.
2004
UCSB Major Events Committee developed a plan to restrict on-campus parking after 5 pm during the weekend to only UCSB students and faculty. Still, an estimated 4,000 out of towners parked their vehicles on university lots. No parking on Del Playa Drive all weekend, because crowds in the year prior were so thick that parked cars made it even more difficult for medical personnel to quickly respond to emergencies.
Approximately 22,000 party-goers, with 348 of them going to jail, and 380 being cited. More than 150 sworn officers on the streets along with the presence of 12 agents from California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. In addition, 5-10 plainclothes officers were also on the field with those on bikes/patrol cars. IV Patrol vans occupied the streets for transportation of arrestees.
2005
Adopt-a-block hosted annual Halloween clean up. Over 200 volunteers, with over 7,000 pounds of garbage being removed from the streets of IV after Halloween night.
2008
Estimated 45,000 people in DP, 700 went to jail and 400 citations were given. Halloween celebration in Isla Vista cost the county an estimated $700,000, with $432,000 going to law enforcement.
2010
THE PARTY'S OVER
Interview with Mike Hassan, owner of IV DeliMart
2012
3 people were arrested with DUIs. 196 party-goers were booked in jail, 249 citations, and 71 medical calls were made, with 19 of them being search and rescue calls. One person sustained severe neck and head injuries after falling from a rooftop.
2013
Associated Students provided 8 porta-potties for Halloween Weekend. Also lobbied for the installation of high chain-link fences along cliffs, but the addition didn't happen.
Life Of The Party organization distributed information about the danger of cliffs and balconies, drinking in moderation, and couch-burning penalties.
Around 200 officers were patrolling streets. Between 12-15,000 partygoers, with 249 citations being given, 48 medical calls received, 20 search and rescue calls made, 2 DUI arrests and 225 in jail --173 of those for public intoxication.
2014
No parties in sight, hardly any out of towners.
Halloween 2013
Halloween 2014
2019
The streets were relatively empty, all of the same ordinances, fences, and restrictions in place from the last 5 years. Delirium continues on, with no other festivals. Between the weekend before Halloween, Halloween night, and the weekend after Halloween, there were 50 citations and 6 arrests. With about 20 police officers, foot patrol was sent home early each night.
"I think a lot of problems that we use to have, both on a civil land criminal level, have significantly diminished over time, and I think this weekend is no exception," said Police Officer Matthew Stern, resident of IV for 19 years, when asked how Halloween compared this year
The tradition of Halloween may have died, but the spirit hasn't
Deja Vu, a local restaurant, still displays pictures of past Halloweens on just about every wall