The “situation was peaceful” when DeKalb Police arrived at NIU’s West Lagoon Thursday night at the request of University Police, DeKalb Police Chief Joe Maciejewski said.

Maciejewski attempted to clarify the DeKalb Police’s role in the incident at a press conference Friday afternoon at the DeKalb Municipal Building.

“(DeKalb Police) officers made no arrests and took no part in any kind of police activity,” he said.

owever, University Police arrested NIU freshman Greg Thomas, 19, 715 Grant Towers South, at 3 a.m. Friday morning on one count of mob action and one count of acceptance of alcohol, Williams said.

Thomas received permission from the police to use the speaker of a DeKalb squad car to speak to the students in an attempt to disperse them.

DeKalb Police received a call at 10:32 p.m. requesting their assistance by “some (NIU) officers who were having some difficulties at the West Lagoon,” Maciejewski said. Five men and five cars were sent, he said.

The equipment DeKalb Police used was not riot equipment, according to Maciejewski. Although helmets were worn for protection, Maciejewski said he did not think DeKalb Police had taken out riot batons for possible use.

DeKalb police officers undergo “crowd control” training at some point in their career but not as an annual event, Maciejewski said.

Maciejewski said, “When we’re called for assistance, we ask the officer in charge to give us direction as to what he wants … they’re in charge.”

DeKalb Police, when assisting UPs, “will make arrests where arrests are indicated—if there is a violation of a statute,” Maciejewski said. “If it’s just some disturbance on NIU’s campus we wait for some direction,” he said.

When asked whether DeKalb Police received direction from UPs, Maciejewski said, “You’d have to ask them (UPs).”

“I’m not in any position to comment on how NIU handled this situation,” Maciejewski said.

UP Lieutenant Ron Williams said the incident is pending further investigation at this time and would not make any other comment.

Williams said Sgt. Richard Bohn and another UP officer received minor injuries from thrown beer bottles.

Maciejewski said several DeKalb Police cars sustained minor damages including dents, one broken windshield, one scratched windshield and one flat tire, all as a result of thrown and broken beer bottles.