UPDATE: Here’s the view of Toomer’s Corner from inside the tower.
Auburn police stationed a Sky Watch manned mobile surveillance tower equipped with security cameras at Toomer’s Corner Wednesday afternoon in preparation for the Iron Bowl this Saturday.
“It’s some homeland security equipment that we’re just making use of,” said Auburn Police Captain Tommy Carswell. “We’ve just moved that one to Toomer’s Corner to beef up our security there thinking it may play a role in what we need to do.”
Carswell said that placing the tower downtown isn’t necessarily in response to Internet rumors that Alabama fans are planning to roll Toomer’s Corner in the event of an Alabama win on Saturday, but simply a deterrent to any fan behavior that might jeopardize public safety.
“We don’t want fans fighting or drunks falling out in the street…. it’s there to serve a number of purposes,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s a concrete or tangible reason for putting it there, but we’ll be doing some recording there. This thing about poisoning the tree—I don’t think anybody else is is trying to do that but if so we very well may have it recorded.”
Alabama fans might be kept from directly harming the Toomer’s Oaks, but would they have the legal right to roll Toomer’s Corner?
Carswell says yes.
“Our goal is not to say no Alabama fan can throw toilet paper. It’s not illegal for an Alabama fan to throw toilet paper any more than it is for an Auburn fan to throw toilet paper.”
“We’re going to do our jobs without violating anybody’s rights.”
But were Alabama to win, and if an Alabama fan were to try to roll Toomer’s Corner with toilet paper, they would be doing so at their own risk, at least when it comes to traffic—police do not block off the corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue when Auburn loses.
“We don’t have any plans of closing off the corner if Alabama wins,” Carswell said. “We do if Auburn wins. That’s our call.”
Carswell said the “residual effect” of keeping the streets open would likely keep the trees free of toilet paper from Alabama fans.
“If someone else wins, we’re not making the decision to close it off and let them have it for an hour. All the roads will remain open. Now, if it comes to a point where the roads are open but someone is doing or causing something that’s keeping traffic from coming through, that’s an arrestable offense.”
Carswell said police are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
“Our first concern is preventing a breach of the peace and somebody getting hurt,” he said. “That’s why [the Sky Watch tower] is there, to keep the peace.”
Photo via Ashley Belcher.
Related: In the ’70s, they could roll cops at Toomer’s Corner / Auburn fan who ran onto the field during 1969 Iron Bowl and bowed to Shug tells all.
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If a Bama fan rolls Toomer’s, beatdowns will commence.
They better start recording now, and not just game day! 🙂
I saw one of these yesterday at the Hayfield on Lem Morrison and Donahue. I think it read “Region 6”.
If a bunch of updykes come to town looking for trouble, they will find it.
Remember that article a while back regarding Toomer’s Corner changes in the event of new trees? My suggestion: water cannons. Soak those Bammers just like we did those Dawgs.
The police comments about rolling are a little disturbing. Most people, Auburn and Bama fans alike, have probably always assumed otherwise, so if what he says about rolling the trees is true, then I hope no Bama fans read your article, because seeing those police comments may lead Bama fans to attempt to roll Toomer’s Corner. (I almost wish you would’ve just left that part out, Jeremy.) If they do attempt to roll Toomers’, and if the police side with the Bama fans, I will not stop fighting the Bama fans off from rolling our trees until the police drag me to jail. That is a promise.
Regardless of whether rolling trees is legal or not in the eyes of the police, it seems to me that the university can set rules for its own property. If the university says that the trees can be rolled this Saturday only in the event of an Auburn victory, but are off-limits otherwise, then the police/security on-hand should be able to enforce that.
They’ve got it under control….
“If someone else wins, we’re not making the decision to close it off and let them have it for an hour. All the roads will remain open. Now, if it comes to a point where the roads are open but someone is doing or causing something that’s keeping traffic from coming through, that’s an arrestable offense.”
My freshman year, 2001, I heard some updyke tried to roll the trees and he ended up at EAMC with a broken arm. I don’t know for sure if it is true but it sounded right. The city or the university or whoever actually owns the trees should be able to pass an ordinance. I fhink nama fans are just getting our goat but I would encourage those of you at Auburn on Saturday win or lose to go up there after the game or at least the downtown area. It would be shameful to let some updyke actually do this.
Jurisdiction? I’d assume college and magnolia are city property and that’s why the city would arrest someone for disrupting the flow of traffic. The corner beneath the trees would IMO be university property and patrolled by university police. I’m sure they work hand in hand, but don’t think the university has any control over city streets…I am really hoping the bammers can restrain themselves from doing something stupid if they win. I’m also hoping AU fans will take the high road when a bammer does something stupid, but if they knock a fool out I won’t hold it against them.
There is no “campus” police since about 2004. The university disbanded their force and rolled those officers into Auburn City’s Police Department. The University contracts with the city for police services. The only campus cop with a AU Police uniform is Melvin Owens who walks with Coach Chizik at the end of the games.
Hey WER guys, there might be a story there about the guy. I’m sure he has some good stories, seems he’s been around the university and football coaches since the 80’s: http://daddyclaxton.com/2011/mowens/