There was an increase in the number of police responses to liquor law violations this September. The Goffstown Police Department (GPD) responded to 10 calls this September. In comparison, there were only 5 alcohol related arrests the month of Sept. 2015 and 6 during the same month in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

Seven of the cases this September resulted in alcohol transports where a student was brought to the hospital by ambulance.

Dean Finn told The Crier, “We don’t know if this is an early flurry,” explaining that there is sometimes a large initial number of transports and then a decrease. She stated that the highest number of transports in a school year was 32.

Dean Finn stated that although she hopes the rate of transports will decrease, she is concerned about the intensity of alcohol abuse in these cases. Both Finn and Laura Marshal, director of Health Services, stated that transports this year have shown much higher blood alcohol content (BAC) than in the past.

Marshal explained to The Crier the serious consequences of heavy drinking associated with these high BAC seen in more Saint A’s students.

Marshal said she felt that part of the problem with heavy drinking is a result of students not understanding what a serving of alcohol is. In response to this problem, she is planning to bring back a set of posters she developed in the past which display how many servings of alcohol fit in various containers.

Health Services is also sponsoring a program run by Kayla Higgins, resident director of Joan of Arc Hall, to test student knowledge on what a portion size is. This program will be in Davison on Wednesday and Thursday 12:20-1:30, Oct. 26-27.

In addition, both Marshal and Finn explained the increase in alcohol transports and the increase in BAC as a result of student anxiety.

Marshal told The Crier that Health Services has been providing a program called “Stressed Out Student” (S.O.S.) every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in the old Campus Ministry office in the Cushing Student Center to teach students how to deal with anxiety in healthy ways.

Next weekend will bear the brunt of Halloween celebrations, with the actual holiday on the Monday, Oct. 31.

Sergeant Thomas Hammond of the GPD told The Crier that Saint Anselm hires the GPD to patrol campus on nights and weekends that are expected to be particularly busy with celebrations such as Halloween and nights Boston teams are in the playoffs.

The presence of police on campus on what is often referred to as “Halloweekend” by students is a precautionary measure.

But other precautionary measures can be taken by students. Both Finn and Marshal stressed the importance of students looking out for one another. They encourage students not to hesitate to call 911 if they are concerned about another student being dangerously intoxicated.