Metro Police Keeping Streets Safe for St. Patrick's Day Revelers

St. Patrick's Day celebrations are in full swing. Metro Police say so far things have been relatively calm. About 80 arrests were made over the weekend.

There were a couple of minor fights, but most of the arrests were for minor offenses like public intoxication and urinating in public. The city did not put out any public toilets until today for the official festival.

On Saturday, a Metro Police officer got a cut on his hand after someone pulled out a knife. The injury wasn't serious, but other officers in the area responded quickly to the scene.

A mid-week St. Patrick's Day may not be as crowded as it could be, but no matter how big the crowd, Savannah-Chatham Metro Police are out in full force to make sure everyone stays safe.

Every where you look downtown, you'll see people wearing green and almost every where you'll see Metro Police badges.

A.P.O. Michael Rodgers is assigned to City Market. It's his fifth year working the St. Patrick's Day Festival.

"I've seen people fall in the river on River Street. They've gotten a little too intoxicated and tried to urinate in the river and fell in the river, and we had to go rescue them," says Rodgers.

While on patrol, Rodgers and another officer come across a man with an open beer can. They quickly tell him that's a no-no.

"Open containers are ok with the plastic cups, but when you start having beer cans or beer bottles, it can become a safety issue if somebody gets too intoxicated and they suppose want to fight with somebody then they have a weapon," says Rodgers.

Officers are working 12 hour shifts for the festival. When they need a break, they head to a room donated by the Hyatt for some rest before heading back into the crowd.

This is Officer Gena Moore's first working for St. Patrick's. She says most of what they're dealing with is alcohol-related.

"We've had to call an ambulance for a few people who have been way way too intoxicated. There's been a couple of fights, and unfortunately before we had all of our port-a-potties set up, there was an issue with people trying to find a place to go to the bathroom," she says.

She's not sure what to expect tomorrow, when Savannah celebrates the big day.

"I know it's going to be really crowded, and it's difficult to maintain order if you can't get to the people, so sometimes it's difficult but it's a lot of fun," says Moore.

Metro Police have a few reminders:

No coolers, No animals, No weapons
Concealed weapons are not allowed in the festival area, even with a permit.
You must have a wristband to drink alcohol in the festival area.
Each person is only allowed one drink at a time.

If you've had too much to drink, you can get a free ride home using AAA and Budweiser's Tow-To-Go service. Call 1-800-AAA-HELP. They'll still be operating through tomorrow night.