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Has the CPD let Comfest go too far?
BY STEPH GREEGOR
Jim Gilbert is fairly pissed about the three-day Community Festival, better known as Comfest, which is held annually at the city’s Goodale Park on the last weekend of June. The president of the local Fraternal Order of Police union said this year’s stabbing death of 18-year-old Bryan Barbin, whose death police say may have been drug-related (autopsy and toxicology reports from the Franklin County Coroner’s office were not available at press time), brought to light one very controversial aspect of Comfest: Unmonitered illegal activity in a public park—starting with open drug use.
“How in the world can the drug abuse be allowed to go on in the park?” asked Gilbert. “How is it that two weeks from now you can take a complaint for drug use in the park and a cop will investigate, yet when Comfest is there it’s a completely acceptable practice during a city-permitted festival?”
Sgt. Rich Weiner, spokesman for the Columbus police, argued that the operative word is “complaint.”
“We’re not turning the other cheek,” he said. “If we got complaints from citizens that people were openly using drugs, then we would be obligated to go in and take action. We can’t just assume.”
Indeed, when tragedy struck Saturday, Columbus police were no more equipped to deal with the problem than they would be on any other weekend at Goodale Park—Weiner said Columbus police didn’t beef up security of the neighborhood during Comfest. Maybe they just couldn’t assume that thousands of people would be congregating there, instead of the usual handful of Saturday-evening dog-walkers?
So who, ultimately, is responsible for ensuring the safety of Comfest patrons, volunteers and neighbors in addition to monitoring illegal activity over the popular three-day weekend? Ask that question—especially after Saturday’s tragedy—and lots of fingers start pointing.
Part of Comfest’s festival permit requirements is the hiring of adequate special duty security because of sales in the park—adequate is defined by the CPD as based on the event’s approximate attendance, anticipation of problems and the history of the event, said Weiner. And many seem content to point the finger at the hired help, which typically have been special duty officers from the CPD.
City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer said the event is private, covered by the permit, allotting responsibility to the permit-holder and its special duty officers for criminal activity.
Columbus Police Chief Walter Distelzweig couldn’t answer the legality of who patrols the park when a permit is issued—“I’m going to find out about that. I think it’s special duty?”—and even Gilbert questioned just whose job it was.
“If there were special duty officers there observing (illegal drug use), then action should have been taken,” said Weiner, CPD’s spokesman.
Yet Weiner also conceded that, ultimately, patrolling the city parks is a function of the police force.
“Now, since we had a problem, we’re going to have to review next year’s event as far as personnel goes,” he said. “We can say that due to the problems that we have had, it should be a stipulation of the permits (to hire extra officers).”
Comfest, which by some estimates, attracts more than 50,000 people to Goodale Park, acquires its festival permit each year from the city’s Recreation and Parks Department, which requires the hiring of special-duty police—primarily, says Rec and Parks spokesperson Terri Leist, because there are merchants and vendors on the grounds. “The trigger for us is when there’s any kind of sales in the park,” she said. “It’s a protection thing.”
The flow of cash creates an environment for crime, she said. And they want to protect citizens from robberies and thefts.
Comfest did staff this year’s event with an average of 31 CPD special-duty officers, as a requirement of its special events permit.
In addition to the special duty officers paid for by Comfest, the precinct that patrolled Goodale Park was staffed with an average of 14 on-duty officers and three sergeants each day.
“The reality is, we’ve now had a (death) in Goodale Park,” said Gilbert. “So what are we going to do about that?”
Gilbert is also asking why officers secured the perimeter of the festival, but rarely walked the park?
“I do not know if (special duty officers) were told (to stay out of the park),” Weiner said. “But if an event organizer would say to stay out of an event area, it would have to be for safety issues. Other than that, we have free reign to patrol.”
Gilbert’s also questioning whether events like Comfest are being adequately staffed by on-duty officers.
“The city should still have to staff and prepare for the outcome of these events,” he said. “We are going to end up being nothing but a responsive police department. We’re going to be responding from crime to crime and there won’t be any time for pro-active policing, which is what events like Comfest require.”
Chief Distelzweig, who declined to comment on open drug use in the park during Comfest saying he hadn’t been there and didn’t know about it, said staffing could be a problem.
“It may be one of those situations where there just may not be enough officers to cover every infraction,” he said.
And, it seems, cops and Comfest have a 30-year-old history of picking and choosing which illegal activities to discourage or enforce at the festival.
Case in point: Comfest’s aggressive enforcement of a “No BYOB” policy this year. The reason for it, according to the Comfest program guide, was because it was a condition of their permit, suggesting that too many busts for that infraction could jeopardize their events permit.
Yet, why make such a push for the No BYOB policy this year, yet never attempt to discourage use of marijuana, which is nearly as prevalent and obviously just as illegal?
Interview requests with Comfest organizer Mark Fisher were referred to event spokesperson Connie Everett, who did not return repeated requests.
So just how many people did get busted for illegal activity in the park over Comfest weekend? Distelzweig said only that those numbers aren’t finalized.
To be fair, Comfest has enjoyed a peaceful reputation since its inception in 1973. “We’ve just never had problems with this event in the past,” Weiner said.
But in recent years, organizers for the “party with a purpose” have struggled with trying to maintain its community-activist roots against its own growing popularity, which, some say, has turned it into a giant party without a conscience.
Steve Abbott, who writes for Comfest’s program guide, wrote last year: “It’s almost amusing, yet actually profoundly sad, that…a few sullen hipsters ontinue to regard Comfest simply as a ‘hippie festival’ that should ‘get out of the sixties,’” he said. “They want a party for the sake of a party. Comfest, which happens annually because of those willing to work to make it happen, is a Party with a Purpose.”
This year, he reiterated that sentiment: “Comfest is definitely a party, but it’s a party with a purpose.”
The truth is, Comfest does provide grants to local organizations, awarding money to organizations such as the Columbus AIDS Task Force, Friends of the Homeless, Columbus Children’s Theater, and the University Area Enrichment Association.
But its growth—and it’s counterculture roots that, for some, include the use of illegal drugs—may be the festival’s own worst enemy.
“An individual was stabbed five times (at Comfest)—so now there’s an obvious safety concern,” said Gilbert. “So now we have to look at extra staffing for next year.”
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of theotherpaper.com.
john wrote on Jul 14, 2009 4:59 AM:
" "Comfest, among other traditions such as the Doodah and Gallery Hop, is what makes the Short North/Victorian Village area unique and special."
WHAT? Um, no, the people and businesses who are here supporting this neighborhood YEAR ROUND are what make this area unique and special, not the suburban faux-hippie tourists. "
WHAT? Um, no, the people and businesses who are here supporting this neighborhood YEAR ROUND are what make this area unique and special, not the suburban faux-hippie tourists. "
West 2nd wrote on Jul 10, 2009 8:13 PM:
" I agree-so many of the Comfest "leaders" do not live in the area. They have no idea the things I see from my front door during Comfest....
I love the quote of "if you don't like Marijuna, don't come" from the last poster. What ever happen to the right of having access to a public park year-round w/o worrying your family will be exposed to ILLEGAL drug usage???
l "
I love the quote of "if you don't like Marijuna, don't come" from the last poster. What ever happen to the right of having access to a public park year-round w/o worrying your family will be exposed to ILLEGAL drug usage???
l "
A neighbor knows wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:58 PM:
" 'shortnorthismyhome' does not live in the Short North. They are probably on the comfest committee and they probably live in Clintonville. I would bet a cherry pie on this. "
shortnorthismyhome wrote on Jul 9, 2009 11:35 AM:
" I am honestly extremely disappointed in the fact that the Other Paper printed this article. It sounds more like something the conservative-run Dispatch would print. The fact is, kids can behave stupidly ANYWHERE. I sincerely hope that this event, while unfortunate, will not serve to be the undoing of the wonderful tradition that is Comfest. If you are offended by marijuana, don't come. If you don't like drunk people, don't come. If you don't like live music or hippie clothing or women going shirtless, don't come. This is obviously not your festival. Comfest, among other traditions such as the Doodah and Gallery Hop, is what makes the Short North/Victorian Village area unique and special. I would hate for those of you who can't understand that to ruin it for us all. The article made it sound as if marijuana, and by association -- Comfest -- was responsible for this kid's death. That is a ridiculous, sensationalistic assertion. Increased police presence would probably not have done anything to prevent this tragedy. But, it would do everything to ruin what has become the best weekend of the year in Columbus. Stay cool, or move to the suburbs. "
Sara Blunt wrote on Jul 8, 2009 10:22 PM:
" DUDE! HE STABBED HIMSELF!! Why is this Jim Gilbert prick so concerned about safety from a person that stabbed himself? The police can't protect us from doing stupid things to ourselves! There was no walk-by-gang-bang-stabbing. This was a guy who got way too messed up on some unknown substance (NOT alcohol or weed). We can't make one incident of negligence destroy 36 years of great success with a festival that promotes community outreach. Yes, people "party with a purpose". But the last I checked, it's ok to party, and meet new people. People do it every night at a bar. Why not make one large get-together with the entire community where you meet great people, and different cultures. I brought my 5 month old daughter there, and guess what? No one pushed drugs on us, we didn't get wasted, we had a great time, and then we made it home safely. WOW! Imagine the power of self control! ComFest should continue, and never change. "
matt jones wrote on Jul 8, 2009 1:54 PM:
" true it has grown, true they need more scrutinizing over who what is brought is brought in--for instance--no BYOB no gang colors/symbols, doo rags etc. they also should enforce a now parking/traffic excluding bikes and transit on the streets adjacent to the park. Closing Buttles would be a huge help to the the community and the businesses. Moving this to the fairgrounds would be a disaster... "
Mike wrote on Jul 6, 2009 1:48 PM:
" Who is Jim Gilbert? How many people exactly are complaining? Is one, perhaps powerful vouice going to change everything b/c he did not like it? "
Jc wrote on Jul 6, 2009 1:45 PM:
" Let’s say the police ramped up this year and cracked down on drug use and the like. Would there have been a stabbing still? I would think so; the size of Comfest makes it impossible to be everywhere, besides all the peace loving people who watched this kid get stabbed said it looked like they were screwing around. ANYWAY, my rambling point is: the cops step up enforcement I am sure you would here "Come on man, it's Comfest" and more people would complain, but they turn the cheek while people are smoking pot they are blamed for not doing anything. You just cannot have it both ways. "
Another Neighbor wrote on Jul 6, 2009 11:51 AM:
" Short North Neighbor: You are correct, in part, about the negligence, though I think the term you are looking for is a part of negligence called 'duty of care'. Now - this is a very good point - because it calls attention to comfest's 'duty of care'. How many police should they have in Goodale Park on July 26th, 2010 in order to exhibit 'duty of care'? And can they afford to pay for it? Though after reading this article, I doubt there will be many Police Officers jumping for this special duty detail.
The comfest committee might want to consider the possibility of moving the festival to a controlled environment; in order to lessen their liability, and in order to salvage some sort of reputation. Or do they simply not care what the ‘community’ thinks? Ironic, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be the ultimate irony if they had something in their ‘statement of principles’ that spoke of ‘people working for the collective good of all people... in harmony with their environment’? Oh wait… they do. "
The comfest committee might want to consider the possibility of moving the festival to a controlled environment; in order to lessen their liability, and in order to salvage some sort of reputation. Or do they simply not care what the ‘community’ thinks? Ironic, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be the ultimate irony if they had something in their ‘statement of principles’ that spoke of ‘people working for the collective good of all people... in harmony with their environment’? Oh wait… they do. "
Rational Adult wrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:08 AM:
" Comfest friend: the comfest committee is no longer perceived as a group of 'rational adults'. The majority of the public does not want to spend their personal time in a meeting with these folks. "
Short North Neighbor wrote on Jul 5, 2009 11:24 AM:
" Evan - True, some comfest organizers work on Goodale Park outside of comfest itself, but, that work (and money) does not counteract the damage to the park caused by comfest. The park no longer fully recovers from the crowds, which is a shame for the people who visit the park year round. Comfest friend - did you know Brian? I would hate to think you are speculating on a person's life. Also, the solution to the size problem is not going to be solved at a comfest committee meeting. The comfest people have made that pretty obvious. Comfest needs to take a hiatus so people will take notice of the problems it is causing to the community. That is the only good solution I have heard. That, or move it to the fairgrounds. Oh, and who owned the knife? Unfortunately, the owner has an obligation to take partial fault for the incident no matter who used it. I believe the term is 'negligence'. "
evan wrote on Jul 4, 2009 9:50 AM:
" Comfest also serves as an important ( and rare) outlet for non-profit community organizations to gain exposure, as well as for emerging artists to have a non-club venue. I'm a full-time professional craftsperson who makes my living selling my work at various festivals ( Bluegrass, renaissance, juried art shows, etc.) and Comfest is one of the biggest festivals I do all year. I also volunteer with Columbus' only community radio station, WCRS, which is funded, in part by Comfest grants.
Comfest also puts tens of thousands of dollars in to maintaining and improving Goodale Park and it leaves the park cleaner than it was each year. We also pick up trash in the neighborhoods for blocks in each direction all 3 days of the festival. Frankly; I see more problems with the bars on Park Street than with Comfest, both from the standpoint of noise, crimes and, especially garbage.
I did find fault with Comfest's music on the main stage on Friday and part of Saturday, however. It was a lot of nihilistic instrument bashing and atonal screaching I could have done without. To downsize a bit and make the festival a bit more mellow I would propose eliminating the main stage altogether and distributing the handful of genuinely talented bands that play there to the other stages, where the music is generally of a much higher caliber - I mean; where else are you going to hear the Four Mints, Blues, Big Band swing and Jazz along with Reggae, folk and electronica all in one venue?
Comfest's "purpose" is still there, and stronger than ever, though perhaps in competition with a few manageable elements. The festival is very much alive and very much needed, as is its on-going stewardship. "
Comfest also puts tens of thousands of dollars in to maintaining and improving Goodale Park and it leaves the park cleaner than it was each year. We also pick up trash in the neighborhoods for blocks in each direction all 3 days of the festival. Frankly; I see more problems with the bars on Park Street than with Comfest, both from the standpoint of noise, crimes and, especially garbage.
I did find fault with Comfest's music on the main stage on Friday and part of Saturday, however. It was a lot of nihilistic instrument bashing and atonal screaching I could have done without. To downsize a bit and make the festival a bit more mellow I would propose eliminating the main stage altogether and distributing the handful of genuinely talented bands that play there to the other stages, where the music is generally of a much higher caliber - I mean; where else are you going to hear the Four Mints, Blues, Big Band swing and Jazz along with Reggae, folk and electronica all in one venue?
Comfest's "purpose" is still there, and stronger than ever, though perhaps in competition with a few manageable elements. The festival is very much alive and very much needed, as is its on-going stewardship. "
Rich Stadler wrote on Jul 3, 2009 12:16 PM:
" I think it's time to move ComFest to a new venue, give it a secret name, and 're-purpose' it back to what it was before it became the suburb-infested drunkfest it has become. "
Suburbanite N Proud wrote on Jul 3, 2009 12:51 AM:
" Amen to Francie!!! Not to be callous, but people die from altercations every darn day! Without knowing the details of the event it is hard to speculate. The facts are: 1) Large gathering of overwhelmingly peaceful people 2) Altercation 3)Man fatally wounded. People [Sheets] need to realize that a weekend "party" happens EVERY year at Goodale. If you don't like it, then don't go or move there in the first place. The Police are there to collect +$32/hr for special duty pay. NOTHING else. I spent around 28 hours total last weekend in the park, enjoying myself and the company of others peacefully. The only thing that got me red was 45 minutes for an $8 beer...over and over again. I'll be back. Hopefully you all will be too. "
Sheets713 wrote on Jul 2, 2009 7:49 PM:
" So I'm reading everyones comments about the "purpose" and "community", well can someone explain to me how people commuting in from the burbs in their gass guzzling Suv's and littering up my park that I take my doggie for a walk on every day serves a purpose?! The park is trashed, litter is everwhere, grease and oil from the carnie vendors, if u ask me it has lost its purpose. Lets say we all head to powell, dublin, gahanna or one of the surrounding areas and see how that would fly. Also I saw more Teens and Tweens running around unsupervised, instead of the parents dumping them at the mall they are getting dumped at Comfest? I think everyone needs to step back and gain new perspective!! It will be our last comfest, unfortunately. If I wanted to hang with Surburbia I wouldn't live downtown!! "
AnotherComFestFriend wrote on Jul 2, 2009 5:55 PM:
" Unfortunately we can't send invitations to ComFest. Over the years the attendance of younger people has grown and now the problems are coming to the surface. If more people who come would volunteer and really get into our party with a purpose it would help. There were plenty of cops, all weekend. They were inside the park, as well as around the perimeter. There was nothing anyone could have done for the young man, except maybe his parents, long ago. I am, as well as my peers, very sad that such a tradgedy occurred. However, you can't blame it on ComFest. "
Francie Griffith wrote on Jul 2, 2009 2:24 PM:
" The death had nothing to do with drug use anyway. People who smoke marijuana do NOT stab people or themselves. People who get beer for one token DO. The beer tents were giving full beers for one token..half the price that was set. I witnessed many people I knew getting full mugs for half price. It is NOT drugs that are the problem. If you think a kid stabbed himself to death because of pot, please do us all a favor and stab yourself. There are quite enough stupid people in this city, we can spare just one more. Marijuana is not a depressant, it is not a hardcore drug, and it is NOT why some kid shanked himself. If he had smoked enough he'd have smiled, and gotten a huge bowl of Jeni's ice cream. he was undoubtedly drinking, and my guess is probably WAY over the limit of what he should have had on such a hot day. The beer lines took over the place, we left early because we couldn't enjoy it since everyone around us appeared to be getting drunk and beligerent. Make no mistake marijuana had no part in this unfortunate tragedy. "
Carlos wrote on Jul 2, 2009 1:08 PM:
" There were cops everywhere. Inside and outside of the park. I doubt they were told to stay out, dude is just covering his rump.
Comfest is one of the best things about Columbus, this may have ruined it forever because security is just going to make everyone uncomfortable. Even if you are doing nothing wrong, having too much "security" will not make it feel like a community. "
Comfest is one of the best things about Columbus, this may have ruined it forever because security is just going to make everyone uncomfortable. Even if you are doing nothing wrong, having too much "security" will not make it feel like a community. "
Really wrote on Jul 2, 2009 12:37 PM:
" I think it will be interesting when the toxocolgy reports come back on Barbin. If he has illegal drugs in his system, then Comfest, being an event that people can partake in large -scale illegal drug usage w/o getting cited or told to stop, does have something to do with his death. If he was doing illegal drugs elsewhere publicly, he would be arrested. Goodale park is a public area that every year turns into a drug party.
And where is it confirmed that this young man had a history of hurting himself?
I don't forsee there being a "solution" to Comfest when the entire festival has lost it's original cause/vibe. It doesn't matter how many comittees you join, if there is festival that 90% people are only going to for only one reason and that is drugs/alcohol, the problems are going to persist/worsen. "
And where is it confirmed that this young man had a history of hurting himself?
I don't forsee there being a "solution" to Comfest when the entire festival has lost it's original cause/vibe. It doesn't matter how many comittees you join, if there is festival that 90% people are only going to for only one reason and that is drugs/alcohol, the problems are going to persist/worsen. "
Comfestfriend wrote on Jul 2, 2009 11:20 AM:
" The tragic death of Byran Barbin had nothing to do with Comfest or the police. He was a troubled young man with a history of hurting himself. I saw cops wandering through the park during the entire festival so the allegation that they were told to stay out is bogus. Growth is an annual Comfest problem. Got a solution? Volunteer on a committee and be part of the solution. It's too easy to criticize from outside, folks. "
Party with Purpose wrote on Jul 2, 2009 10:53 AM:
" Try living in the neighboorhood. Not fun. It has exploded in size even since 5 years ago. And there are people attending now that have no interest in peaceful celebrating, just getting wasted and trashing up the streets and people's front yards. There is the "purpose" that Comfest has now. And with CPD down-sizing what do you think is going to happen in future years? "
Ken wrote on Jul 2, 2009 9:06 AM:
" Isn't it a little early to blame drugs for this death? The full story hasn't come out yet, and yet there are people trying to use this tragedy to further their own political agendas. Shameful.
Can someone explain to me why you need to carry a knife to comfest in the first place? "
Can someone explain to me why you need to carry a knife to comfest in the first place? "
Chad wrote on Jul 2, 2009 8:50 AM:
" "Indeed, when tragedy struck Saturday, Columbus police were no more equipped to deal with the problem than they would be on any other weekend at Goodale Park"
Then you say there were a total of 45 police plus a sergeant in the park during the festival.
That sounds like beefed up security to me? I use to live right next to the park and I never saw 45 police there.
And i dont care how much beer you drink or how much pot you smoke, that isnt going to cause you to stab yourself. The only way its even remotely possible would be if he was soo drunk and high that he couldnt feel the stabs from an open blade in his pocket while they were wrestling. If thats the case, it was truly an accident and all this stuff about security increases and stuff is just blowing things way out of proportion.
If it was because he was seriously tripping on LSD, no amount of police in the park could have stopped him from taking that and you can't start trashin some pot smoking cause of it. "
Then you say there were a total of 45 police plus a sergeant in the park during the festival.
That sounds like beefed up security to me? I use to live right next to the park and I never saw 45 police there.
And i dont care how much beer you drink or how much pot you smoke, that isnt going to cause you to stab yourself. The only way its even remotely possible would be if he was soo drunk and high that he couldnt feel the stabs from an open blade in his pocket while they were wrestling. If thats the case, it was truly an accident and all this stuff about security increases and stuff is just blowing things way out of proportion.
If it was because he was seriously tripping on LSD, no amount of police in the park could have stopped him from taking that and you can't start trashin some pot smoking cause of it. "
Rich Stadler wrote on Jul 2, 2009 1:18 AM:
" This article was concise. Thank-you for writing about the complex issues that Comfest presents.
Comfest started as a hippie festival, at 16th and High Street, in Columbus. I was there.
"Nothing sweet gets left alone." "
Comfest started as a hippie festival, at 16th and High Street, in Columbus. I was there.
"Nothing sweet gets left alone." "
joe ridge wrote on Jul 1, 2009 10:23 PM:
" comfest comunity with a purpose iam sorry it has always been a drug fest and alcohol fest it willnever change it was for hippies i attended it when it first started on 16 th ave on campus but i grew up later in life i do not go there any more even when it moved a complete waste of time especially now makes love not war a joke !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
A neighbor knows wrote on Jul 15, 2009 1:06 PM: