Officers in Rochester, N.Y., practiced high tolerance this past weekend when they made minimal arrests while breaking up a fight that involved nearly 200 people after a high school football game.
Police made five arrest, including three juveniles. They also reported that two officers were injured in the melee.
Police responded around 8:30 Friday night, following the game between the Eagles and Irondequoit.
"We had some uses of force, unfortunately," Rochester Police Capt. Naser Zenelovic, who estimated that authorities could have arrested close to 100 people, told NewYorkSportsWriters.org.
"In situations like this, we're trained to be very tolerant and just get people to leave," he added. "We don't have enough officers to arrest our way out of numerous fights. We just want order."
Officers used pepper balls and spray to disperse the crowd.
East superintendent Shaun Nelms issued a statement about the fight, noting that the school learned that “a community issue was brought to the East Campus.”
Rochester City School District spokesman Carlos Garcia said all of those arrested are believed to be students and that discipline will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
"We're trying to get to the nexus of the problem," Garcia said, "because if we don't resolve the problem it doesn't matter how many we suspend."
