The Pleasantville Police Department is cracking down on the misbehavior of Pace students.

In years past, Pace students have upset residents while walking home from the bars in the downtown area such as Paulie’s. Pleasantville Police Chief Erik Grutzner believes that the situation has become dangerous.

“There has been a some damaging of other people’s property, and a lot of shouting,” Grutzner said. “Also, there have been some kids walking in the road, which is obviously very dangerous, especially late at night when there are people driving.”

Grutzner believes that there has been an uptick in these incidents since the Briarcliff campus closed, because more students now live on the Pleasantville campus.

Pace University regularly hosts community meetings to try to improve relations between Pleasantville residents and the school.

One topic that was brought up constantly was Pace students coming home from the bars and causing problems, according to Bill Colona, Director of Government and Community Relations at Pace. He is responsible for organizing these neighborhood meetings.

“Often times, a group of neighbors would always use our office to communicate with us any questions or concerns,” Colona said. “Every so often we are receiving complaints about Pace students when they are coming home from the bars, either late at night or early in the morning.”

Colona says that Grutzner or another representative from the police department is always present at the meetings.

Grutzner said his department has increased patrols on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in the downtown area.

Also, the Pleasantville Police Department collaborates with police in the town of Mount Pleasant.

“We have coordinated our efforts with them to have the most impact on certain days,” Grutzner said. “Sometimes we talk, and if one department is going to be out one day, then maybe the other doesn’t have to be. Other times we agree to all be out together to really send a message.”

So far this school year, Grutzner describes the nightly interactions with the Pace as “typical,” with a few arrests made.

Members of the Pleasantville Police Department will be on campus on October 27 to speak at the Student Government Association meeting to give students advice about how to be safe when going out.