Welcome Weekend brings thousands of MSU students, a lot of energy and a wide range of public-safety needs into downtown East Lansing. I had the opportunity to attend operational briefings and join a ride-along with the East Lansing Police Department to see what goes into a big event like Welcome Weekend. A lot happens behind the scenes — and I quickly learned that it takes an extraordinary amount of coordination amongst police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, civilian professionals, community organizations and regional partners to manage such a busy environment.