Original Article Big First Fridays crowds boosting police concerns Police increase presence, but not citations Jack Gillum The Arizona Republic Aug. 6, 2005 12:00 AM For the gallery hoppers in downtown Phoenix on Friday night, it was all about the artwork, the live bands and the cool breeze from the summer monsoons. At the start of the First Fridays art walk, which had officials concerned about the crowds getting out-of-hand, police planned to issue zero citations. "It's a positive thing for the community," said Phoenix Officer David Beauchamp, who spent Friday night patrolling the event. "It just needs to be done right." Instead of a crackdown, about 30 officers and city officials fanned out into the surrounding neighborhoods and hoped their presence would curb underage drinking and monitor homes-turned-art stores, which could be illegal under city zoning codes. Even with the vibrancy created by artisans and art collectors roaming the streets downtown, the partylike atmosphere had authorities worried that First Fridays, which started in the late 1990s, could get unwieldy. "We're out there to try and assist with neighborhood problems," said Lt. Mike Parra of Phoenix's central city police precinct. "(First Fridays) is so large, we just can't not take care of it." But critics say overregulating the event, which brings as many as 10,000 people to downtown Phoenix, could kill the very spirit that makes First Fridays a success. "If you're from Scottsdale and your car is going to get towed, you're not going to come," Kimber Lanning, owner of the art gallery Modified Arts, said, referring to the possibility of police cracking down on minor parking violations. But, she said, having a slight police presence would be helpful in eliminating other violations, such as underage drinking. Some gallery hoppers blamed the rain for what they called a smaller-than-average turnout. About 7 p.m. Friday, rain had sprinkled the downtown area near the events, which lined Roosevelt Street between Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street. Parra said his officers were careful to balance fun with safety. "We don't want to go in heavy-handed," he said. The events are not only about relaxed, Friday-night fun. Many artists are urging more serious collectors to visit the downtown galleries and build up a greater arts presence. Reach the reporter at jack .gillum@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8208.