<p>No, I believe he was saying that South Bend would be better off if the police focused on stopping violent crime and property damage rather than picking on drunk students. And we aren’t talking about Notre Dame/NDSP (which is where your stats come from), we are talking about South Bend/SBPD. South Bend DOES have a crime problem: [South</a> Bend Crime Statistics and Crime Data (South Bend, IN)](<a href=“AreaConnect Free Yellow Pages, White Pages and Guides”>http://southbend.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm)</p>
<p>I was using a bit of hyperbole there, but I think it can be said that much fewer people would make the trek to South Bend if ND wasn’t there. Sure, people would still visit family in South Bend, just like people still visit family in Gary… And a few people might visit the college football hall of fame, but I think most of the people who go see that are the many football fans who are drawn to South Bend because they have come to see a Notre Dame football game… And there are a lot of zoos in this country, many of them in much nicer cities than South Bend… Most people visit these other places in South Bend because they are already in town and need something to do. People don’t travel across the country to see the South Bend zoo. </p>
<p>And MIP fines might not be the main source of revenue, but they are one way that governments make money. They certainly make more money and probably expend less manpower busting a party than by stopping a mugging.</p>
<p>Many of the things in South Bend that are useful to Notre Dame sprung up because of the university and would have done so even if South Bend didn’t exist- the city of Notre Dame would just be a bit bigger. And would probably have a lower crime rate. As it is, we do have an unavoidable connection to the city of South Bend, but it still seems a bit one-sided to me…</p>