Changes successful at Ben Hill Griffin

Two games into the Gator football season, the no-smoking and text-messaging policies are running smoothly at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, said Lt. Robert Wagner of the University of Florida Police Department.

Saturday's game against Troy was the second time both policies have been in place - one that bans any smoking inside or near the stadium and another that allows fans to send text messages alerting authorities of problems inside the stadium.

To date, 41 text messages have been received by police, almost half of them sent last weekend during the Charleston Southern game.

A majority of the text messages have involved issues of overcrowding or people in the wrong seats or sections, Wagner said.

Ushers working the game attend to seating issues, while police officers deal mainly with medical and law enforcement issues.

Only a handful of the messages received have been inappropriate, he said.

"One said something like, 'Come on Gators, get going!' during the first quarter because we hadn't scored yet," Wagner said.

Wagner said he considers the text-messaging capability "a great tool to summon the assistance of officers without having to leave your seat."

"I don't think it's a negative thing when the public has eyes in places that law enforcement doesn't," he said.

Additionally, no one was ejected for smoking during Saturday's game, Wagner said. Anyone who was caught lighting up cooperated with officers and stopped, he said.

In all, there were 18 ejections from Saturday's game.

Four were for disorderly conduct, one for intoxication, three for not having a ticket, seven for standing on seats. Three fans were arrested for possession of alcohol.

Wagner said that Saturday's total of ejections/arrests is a low number compared to other games, which he suspected had to do with Troy not being one of UF's rivals, the early time of the game and the rainy weather.