Mayor: Police Ready For Binghamton Bar Crawl

State Street in downtown Binghamton during the 2013 Bar Crawl. [Bob Joseph/WNBF News][/caption]

Binghamton police will be monitoring the thousands of participants expected for the annual bar crawl on the West Side and in the downtown district.

The event is a spring tradition just before Binghamton University graduation ceremonies.

Mayor Richard David said there will be an enhanced police presence Thursday afternoon and evening to keep an eye on things.

Speaking on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program, the mayor said "safety is an important concern" during the event.

David said those who are drinking should be of legal age and alcohol should not be consumed in areas where it is not allowed.

During last year's bar crawl, a student from the Syracuse area was seriously hurt when she fell about 20 feet from the roof of a downtown building.

The mayor said police officers try to keep an eye on revelers who may be on roof tops or in other potentially-dangerous situations.

David acknowledged he has a fear that "at some point in the future, something horrific might happen" as a result of carelessness during the celebration. He said authorities try to be proactive to prevent the possibility of a tragedy.

Police investigate an incident during 2015 Bar Crawl in which a student was seriously hurt. [Bob Joseph/WNBF News][/caption]For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.