East Lansing police plan to intervene earlier on underage drinking and focus on community engagement during MSU's welcome week, Capt. Adrian Ojerio told WILX on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
The changes come after last year's welcome weekend produced a federal lawsuit against the city and a tasing incident that sent roughly 50 people fleeing from Ann Street Plaza.
Tens of thousands of students are expected to arrive the week of Aug. 25 for the start of the fall semester.
What happened last year
During the Aug. 23-24, 2025, welcome weekend, ELPD responded to 52 service calls and made 10 arrests, eight of which involved people who were not MSU students.
On Aug. 24, 2025, Officer Andrew Lyon pepper-sprayed two Black men, Lonnie Smith and Mason Woods, outside Dave's Hot Chicken in downtown East Lansing. Their attorney, Jack Rucker of Nova Law, said when the lawsuits were filed in November 2025 that Lyon deployed the spray within five inches of both men's faces without warning. Misdemeanor charges against Smith and Woods were later dismissed.
Smith and Woods filed separate federal lawsuits on Nov. 6, 2025, naming the city, Police Chief Jennifer Brown and Lyon as defendants. Those lawsuits remain pending. Lyon resigned from the department on April 3, 2026; no reason was released by the city.
East Lansing's Human Rights Commission has since reaffirmed findings that Smith and Woods were denied their civil rights due to their race, according to East Lansing Info.
The same weekend, officers tased Nathan Leslie Warner, 21, of Lansing, after he drew a nine-inch knife at Ann Street Plaza and refused commands to drop it, according to WILX reporting. Warner was charged with felonious assault and carrying a concealed weapon.
What's changing
Ojerio, in his 25th year with the department, said the department has worked to prevent a repeat.
"We have looked back and learned that oftentimes a lot of these issues stem from overindulgence of alcohol and then that affects people's decision making and they unfortunately make poor decisions," Ojerio told WILX.
The department's stated approach for 2026: address smaller problems, particularly underage drinking, before they escalate. Ojerio called community connection one of the biggest changes and said the public remains the department's greatest asset during welcome week.
East Lansing will partner with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office and other local agencies for enforcement during the week.
What's still unresolved
The federal lawsuits filed by Smith and Woods have not reached a public resolution. East Lansing officials have consistently declined to comment on anything related to the pending litigation. The city council authorized an independent review of ELPD procedures around the 2025 welcome weekend in October 2025, but that review was to remain confidential unless council voted to release it.
Residents who witness safety concerns during welcome week can contact ELPD. Ojerio said the public is the department's biggest help in responding to incidents.
