The University Athletic Association paid uniformed officers to help with security at Gator Growl Friday. Alachua County Sheriff's deputies and Gainesville Police officers were on hand to make sure nothing went wrong.

In addition to their normal weekend shifts, about 100 additional G.P.D officers were in uniform Friday night. G.P.D. Lt. Keith Kameg said almost every officer will have worked by the end of the weekend.

"Probably not a good weekend to commit crime, but probably a good weekend to walk the streets because you're going to be safe out there," he explained. "There's just a lot of officers. This is a time people come back to our community, and we want to show off Gainesville for what it is, a great city to live in."

Homecoming is considered one of the big three weekends for security around U.F.; the other two major events are the F.S.U. and Tennessee games. Gator Growl is handled as if it is the eighth home game of the season.