Dodgers: 75 citations but no arrests in tailgating crackdown

Los Angeles police officers cited 75 people on the Dodgers’ opening day on Monday but made no physical arrests, officials said Tuesday.

The majority of the citations -- 60 -- were for drinking in public, said Officer Drake Madison, a department spokesman. Nine people were cited for urinating in public and four for illegal vending.

Two parking citations were issued and two vehicles impounded, Madison said.

“I think people are starting to get the hint,” he said.

Earlier in the day, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck told police commissioners that there had been no “significant incidents” during the Dodgers 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

Security at Dodger Stadium has come under increased scrutiny since 2011, when a San Francisco Giants fan was brutally beaten in the parking lot following the Dodgers’ home opener. Bryan Stow, a paramedic and father of two, suffered a traumatic brain injury and is expected to require medical care for life.

This year, the LAPD got tougher on unruly tailgaters, whose heavy drinking, public urination and loud music have long drawn complaints from residents living in Elysian Park.

Dozens of officers patrolled the area, prepared to enforce the LAPD’s no-tolerance policy for drinking in public. Parking was also limited to make it more difficult for people to unload tailgating essentials.

Many fans found ways to avoid the restrictions -- some took taxis to the park, others hauled grills and folding tables from cars parked up to a mile away.

Beck said the LAPD would “take a look at how the plan went” and adjust as needed. Still, he said he was pleased with the initial results.

“I think that we set the right tone for the remainder of the season,” Beck told reporters after Tuesday’s Police Commission meeting. “You know, we want the Dodgers to be a family event. We want people to go there and enjoy it with their families and not be subject to behavior that sometimes excessive drinking brings.”

Beck said fans would not always see such a heavy police presence as they did on opening day. The department typically uses more officers during the first games of the season and high-profile games, like the Dodgers-Giants series.

“We adjust our deployment based on the game and the time and the circumstance,” he said. “Sometimes you’ll see it like that, sometimes you’ll see a little less.”

Follow @katemather for more Los Angeles crime news.