Western Tech pres. took police ride along on Oktoberfest

“I was expecting a lot more of a chaotic environment,” Rasch said.

During nights when even La Crosse’s finest go out in pairs for safety, a college president was willing to tag along for the ride. 

Western Technical College president Lee Rasch is glad he followed police around for awhile on night patrols during Oktoberfest weekend. 

First of all, he was impressed by police, and somewhat pleasantly surprised by what he saw in the neighborhood around his campus. 

“I was expecting a lot more of a chaotic environment,” Rasch said, noting, “It certainly was very dynamic, that’s for sure.”

He also determined the neighborhood needs a comprehensive plan in order to prevent economic backsliding and probably some more street lighting in some areas. 

“Overall it was a good experience for me,” Rasch said. “I learned a lot.”

The heads of the city’s three colleges were invited to follow police on their Oktoberfest patrols. Rasch was apparently the only one to accept the invitation.