DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-20 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""The Demonstrations Were Expensive""

Transcribe
Translate

Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-20 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""The Demonstrations Were Expensive""

P-C 5/20/71

$45,000 Cost to Agencies Alone - 

The Demonstrations Were Expensive

By MARK F. ROHNER
Of the Press-Citizen 

Local public agencies have estimated that their expenses related to disorders here earlier this month will total upwards of $45,000.
That figure doesn't include a lot of intangibles, such as administrative expenses and help from unpaid volunteers, nor does it take into account private expenses - such as property damage and loss of business. 
Of the $45,000 the biggest chunk, $14,000. was attributed to the Iowa Highway Patrol, which sent 200 men here May 11 to quell the disturbances. Most of the patrolmen stayed here four days, but some remained for five days. 

Spokesmen for the State Department of Public Safety said the $14,000 figure includes motel, mileage, vehicle damage, medical, food and sick pay. Patrolmen also will receive compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. 
The department reported an additional $2,000 expense for State Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents sent here with the state troopers. 
Local law enforcement agencies - the Iowa City Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff's Department, University Security and Coralville Police - listed their disorder related expenses at about $20,000. That includes $3,000 in overtime pay for Iowa City police, $4,000 for Campus Security officers, $500 for Coralville police and $7,500 for Sheriff's Department expenses which included overtime pay, food supplies, gasoline and mileage. 
City Manager Frank R. Smiley said some of the Police Department overtime might be reimbursed with compensatory time off for officers who worked extra hours during the disturbances. 
The Sheriff's Department did not compute food and transportation expenses paid to deputies from Linn and Scott Counties called in to assist in quelling the disorders. 
Donald Schleisman, administrative assistant for the Board of Supervisors, said the Scott and Linn county sheriff's departments paid overtime and equipment expenses for their own departments, as did the Iowa State Conservation Commission, which sent four men trained at the State Police Academy to aid local lawmen. 
City expenses also included an estimated $3,000 in damage caused at the Civic Center by a May 6 bomb explosion thought to be related to the disorders. 
Other costs not directly related to law enforcement include an estimated $5,700 in damage to University of Iowa property 

COSTS Turn to Page 2A

Costs From Page 1A

and $111 in county Ambulance Department expenses for six "aborts" - false alarms- and extra wages. 
Damage expenses at the university include $4,000 for 48 smashed parking meters, $1,300 for damage at the dormitories and $400 for window breakage at the ROTC Armory. 
Dorm damage includes windows, window screens and window frames damaged by mobs in battles with police as well as damage to floors caused when police fired hot tear gas canisters into the residence halls, riving many of their occupants into a melee outside. 
Not computed by the university was tear gas damage to personal property of dorm residents, James Pendleton, president of Hillcrest Dormitory, said about 12 dorm residents had filed claims for damaged possessions - ranging from dry cleaning  bills to "three or four reports of contact lenses - valued at $200 a set - "ruined by tear gas."
Also not computed is damage to cars and bicycles - caused both by the rock throwing mobs and the club swinging police - and damage to downtown buildings, where at least 80 windows were smashed by flying missiles. 
Private property damage would run to "several thousand dollars."
Property damage in disorders downtown included windows broken at the Post Office, Iowa Book and Supply, Barney's D-X Station, Things and Things and Things, Aidens Department Store and Iowa State Bank and Trust Co. 
Other private expenses include time lost from regular jobs by members of the Coralville and Iowa City Police Auxiliaries.

Saving...

P-C 5/20/71 $45,000 Cost to Agencies Alone - The Demonstrations Were Expensive By MARK F. ROHNER Of the Press-Citizen Local public agencies have estimated that their expenses related to disorders here earlier this month will total upwards of $45,000. That figure doesn't include a lot of intangibles, such as administrative expenses and help from unpaid volunteers, nor does it take into account private expenses - such as property damage and loss of business. Of the $45,000 the biggest chunk, $14,000. was attributed to the Iowa Highway Patrol, which sent 200 men here May 11 to quell the disturbances. Most of the patrolmen stayed here four days, but some remained for five days. Spokesmen for the State Department of Public Safety said the $14,000 figure includes motel, mileage, vehicle damage, medical, food and sick pay. Patrolmen also will receive compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. The department reported an additional $2,000 expense for State Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents sent here with the state troopers. Local law enforcement agencies - the Iowa City Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff's Department, University Security and Coralville Police - listed their disorder related expenses at about $20,000. That includes $3,000 in overtime pay for Iowa City police, $4,000 for Campus Security officers, $500 for Coralville police and $7,500 for Sheriff's Department expenses which included overtime pay, food supplies, gasoline and mileage. City Manager Frank R. Smiley said some of the Police Department overtime might be reimbursed with compensatory time off for officers who worked extra hours during the disturbances. The Sheriff's Department did not compute food and transportation expenses paid to deputies from Linn and Scott Counties called in to assist in quelling the disorders. Donald Schleisman, administrative assistant for the Board of Supervisors, said the Scott and Linn county sheriff's departments paid overtime and equipment expenses for their own departments, as did the Iowa State Conservation Commission, which sent four men trained at the State Police Academy to aid local lawmen. City expenses also included an estimated $3,000 in damage caused at the Civic Center by a May 6 bomb explosion thought to be related to the disorders. Other costs not directly related to law enforcement include an estimated $5,700 in damage to University of Iowa property COSTS Turn to Page 2A Costs From Page 1A and $111 in county Ambulance Department expenses for six "aborts" - false alarms- and extra wages. Damage expenses at the university include $4,000 for 48 smashed parking meters, $1,300 for damage at the dormitories and $400 for window breakage at the ROTC Armory. Dorm damage includes windows, window screens and window frames damaged by mobs in battles with police as well as damage to floors caused when police fired hot tear gas canisters into the residence halls, riving many of their occupants into a melee outside. Not computed by the university was tear gas damage to personal property of dorm residents, James Pendleton, president of Hillcrest Dormitory, said about 12 dorm residents had filed claims for damaged possessions - ranging from dry cleaning bills to "three or four reports of contact lenses - valued at $200 a set - "ruined by tear gas." Also not computed is damage to cars and bicycles - caused both by the rock throwing mobs and the club swinging police - and damage to downtown buildings, where at least 80 windows were smashed by flying missiles. Private property damage would run to "several thousand dollars." Property damage in disorders downtown included windows broken at the Post Office, Iowa Book and Supply, Barney's D-X Station, Things and Things and Things, Aidens Department Store and Iowa State Bank and Trust Co. Other private expenses include time lost from regular jobs by members of the Coralville and Iowa City Police Auxiliaries.