Bellingham, WWU working together in riot's aftermath

The lawless and destructive behavior exhibited during the Oct. 12 riot at Laurel Park surprised and shocked us and our community. How could something like this happen in Bellingham and what can we do to avert another similar incident? We welcome this opportunity to report back to the community on steps that have been taken in response.

First, we want to praise the high level of expertise and professionalism of law enforcement personnel involved with the riot, led by the Bellingham Police Department with the assistance of Western's Police Department, the Washington State Patrol and the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office. These agencies also have supported the follow-up investigation, which remains active and ongoing today.