Super Bowl Article

“Behind the Badge”         “Super Sunday”

By Joseph Pangaro

In a few short weeks the nation will be transfixed around out TV’s for the Super Bowl. This is now an American Holiday that is watched around the world by over a billion people. There are traditions that have sprung up around this event like Super Bowl parties. It is no longer just a game it is something to look forward to.

There are also some police related angles here. One of them is the belief that domestic violence calls go way up during the super bowl. The idea is that during the super bowl many men become so engaged in the game and all the activities surrounding the game that they lose their minds and become abusive. Every year I listen and hear the news reports that “Police across the country” get an overwhelming number of domestic dispute calls during the game. It is a template report that just seems to be a part of the day.

I’ve been at this work for a long time and I just don’t see it. The calls for domestic violence come on Super Bowl Sunday just as the do every other day of the year, I don’t really see an increase. The sad fact is that there calls everyday for domestic violence. This is a statistic I wish we could remove.

 What I do see an increase in during Super Bowl though is the drinking and driving incidents. Because the atmosphere around the game has changed and become one of big parties and all out good times, many people who would not normally over do it with the booze, have a tendency to drink too much.

The media image of the drunken husband or boyfriend smacking everyone around because the game is on is something I’m sure does happen in some homes, but it is the exception, not the rule. If there is a problem with domestic violence in your life, on any day, let someone know about it. Get some help. There are many options out there for you. You don’t have to take it.

Now that we have set that myth to rest, let’s enjoy the game, root for our favorites and be safe out there.

Let me know what you think.