The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office continues to review an assault complaint lodged against Bangor High School athletic director Steve Vanidestine related to a crowd-control incident after a boys basketball game Feb. 15 at Red Barry Gymnasium.

It’s a case that brings home a larger issue that has proliferated nationwide in recent years, mostly on college campuses but also at the high school level.

Fans storming a basketball court or football field as a game ends, presumably to share in their chosen team’s success, seems like good, joyous fun on the surface, but they also have brought to the forefront safety and security concerns among those who stage the games.

Just last week 12 collegiate administrators gathered in Savannah, Ga., for the NCAA Postgame Crowd Control Summit, with the shared goal of developing plans to ensure that appropriate fan behavior is more of a priority at all colleges and universities.

The group defined the overarching priorities for colleges and universities as the safety of all game personnel, safety of the fans, preservation of property and institutional reputation management, and now plan to encourage crowd control as an agenda item for conference meetings this spring.

Some conferences already have taken steps to address the issue.

Spectators caught violating the Southeastern Conference’s crowd-control policy, for instance, face possible expulsion from the facility, arrest for trespassing and the loss of future ticket privileges.

In addition, the SEC commissioner may fine a school up to $5,000 for a first offense, up to $25,000 for a second offense and as much as $50,000 for a third offense when their fans charge the competition area.

Maine Principals’ Association executive director Dick Durost says high schools in this state share crowd-control priorities similar to those outlined at the NCAA summit.

“It’s a discussion topic,” he said. “In general I think for most school systems the safety of everyone who is participating in the game, whether they be players, coaches, managers or other personnel, is the number one priority. … We also don’t want a fan at the front of a line going onto the court after a game to get hurt, either.”

To that end, crowd control at MPA-sanctioned postseason events such as the high school basketball tournaments is a collaborative effort, with tourney and school officials, police and event staff all keeping a watchful eye on the action in the stands as well as the action on the field of play.

Some see that as cramping the fans’ style. Others see it as seeking to prevent an accident – or even a tragedy.

Consider the case of Joe Kay, a former Tucson, Ariz., high school basketball star who suffered a torn carotid artery when fans tackled him after he made a dunk in the final minutes of a 2004 championship game.

A lawsuit ensued, and in February Kay settled with the local school district and two students for $3.5 million.

But Kay surely would trade the money for good health – he remains paralyzed on one side of his body as the result of the stroke he suffered after the incident.

Indeed, crowds without some control can quickly become chaotic in such competitive and emotional settings as game sites.

So no matter how the Vanidestine case is resolved locally, let the good from it be the heightened awareness given to crowd-control issues, so everyone can enjoy the games people play without getting in each other’s way.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net