39 fans ejected from MU football games so far this season
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Tiger fans and Mizzou students are back in full force as Mizzou enters week four undefeated, and 39 people have been ejected from games.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol helps the University of Missouri Police Department keep students and fans safe at games every weekend.
This includes monitoring traffic and pedestrians before and after the games, and watching the crowds for several infractions as well.
During Mizzou's first game of the year on Aug. 31, 10 people were ejected:
- Two - minor in possession
- Three - intoxicated
- One - intoxicated & minor in possession
- Two - bag violations
- Two - vaping
On Sept. 9, during Mizzou's second game, 16 people were ejected from the game.
- Four- bringing outside alcohol into the stadium
- Nine - intoxicated
- One - smoking
- One - 10-55 (no distinction)
- One - minor in possession
On Sept, 16 there were 15 ejections during Mizzou's sold-out game against Kansas State.
- Three - bringing outside alcohol into the stadium
- One - harassment
- One - arrested
- Four - minor in possession
- Four - intoxicated
- One - disorderly
In total, there have been 17 people kicked out of Mizzou games for intoxication, the most out of any infraction with eight minors in possession of alcohol and seven for bringing in outside alcohol.
"If there is an instance where somebody is intoxicated, if there's a fight that was to break out in the stands, if there's, you know, college kids drinking underage, things like that. The troopers are stationed throughout the stadium to address those types of things," MSHP Cpl. Kyle Green said.
Green says while troopers are looking for intoxicated people or MIPs, they are mostly focusing on keeping fans safe.
"During the game, there are officers that are assigned to inside detail, and the majority of the traffic detail is also assigned inside the stadium after the game starts," Green said.
However, Green said the majority of the patrols' focus is on keeping fans safe outside of the stadium.
"The primary focus of the highway patrol prior to the game is handling traffic," Green said. "So, if you attend a Mizzou football game, you'll see numerous troopers around the stadium at various intersections and they play multiple roles."
"One is to try to help with the flow of traffic," Green said.
MSHP helps fans get to-and-from their cars safely and helps keep the traffic moving on the roadways.
Green said law enforcement agencies meet before the game to create a plan.
"Prior to the game, there's a large meeting to discuss what issues and things like that may take place, crowd size, weather, things like that, said Green.
