Last Thursday night will remain enshrined in the memory of every participating UNC student. It was a milestone in the UNC experience for everyone there — a thrilling game full of comeback stories and senior successes, rushing Franklin Street with 10,000 of your closest friends all united in triumph over the most hated team in college basketball.
It’s easy to believe that the last thing on everyone’s mind in the midst of the craze was personal safety or the condition of Franklin Street or campus. Everyone except for the Chapel Hill Police Department, which displayed great tact in ensuring this tradition was allowed to run its course unhindered, while maintaining public safety.
Imagine the impossibility of keeping some sense of order in the face of roughly 10,000 people, representing the full spectrum of sobriety, literally sprinting towards a public street.
Despite several fires and scaled telephone poles, Franklin Street was no worse for the wear Friday morning, and no serious accidents involving students were reported.
Though it may seem like a monumental task, the department has been dealing with situations like this for decades. Prior to Thursday night, all officers involved were ready for any of the possible tangents the night might take — a loss and a destructive crowd, or a win and a slightly less destructive crowd. Either way, the officers were beyond prepared and ready to patrol Franklin Street hours before the spectacle began.
What’s more, officers were seen high-fiving and chest-bumping celebrating fans throughout the chaos. The discretion and ability displayed by the Chapel Hill Police Department last Thursday was top-notch. When these moments of great celebration occur, students would do well to remember this and mirror the same type of respect for this institution and city.
