Car show crowds were "well behaved" this year, and police and show organizers are satisfied that the show has achieved a wider appeal among families and less appeal with the rowdier crowds than it had a decade or so ago.

Police agencies involved in the 2009 St. Ignace Auto Show said illegal activity has plateaued in the past few years and they saw no significant increase since 2008. In fact, St. Ignace city police saw arrests go down from three in 2008 to one in 2009. The Mackinac County Sheriff's office also saw a slight decrease in activity, from two incidents of drunk driving in 2008 to only one in 2009.

The Michigan State Police St. Ignace Post saw two fewer troopers on duty in 2009 than in 2008, but this year's three arrests and 21 traffic citations were an increase from 2008's one arrest and six traffic citations.

Combined, the three agencies reported two disorderly conduct arrests, one drunk driving incident, one larceny, one possession of marijuana, and one minor in possession charge for this year's car show weekend June 25 through June 28.

"People were very well behaved," St. Ignace Chief Tim Matelski said. "It's a family show now. That's just exactly how we want it and how we're going to keep it."

While offenses are down, Chief Matelski said he has noticed attendance is on the rise, which he attributes to families returning to the show.

Car show organizer Ed Reavie noted the same trend toward family attendance in recent years (see related story).

The number of incidents reported by law enforcement over the past few years pales in comparison with activity in 2001 and before.

Over the weekend of 2001, a show that an estimated 108,000 people attended, the 92nd District Court processed 372 non-traffic misdemeanors and 426 traffic misdemeanors, including 22 drunk driving charges and five felony arrests.

That same weekend, the St. Ignace city police alone issued nine minor in possession charges, 10 open intoxications, three disorderly conducts, one indecent exposure, one operating under the influence of liquor, one open beer, and 10 careless or reckless driving tickets.

"It was just dangerous," Sheriff Scott Strait said of the situation before laws were enforced against drinking in public. This stricter ban on alcohol began largely in 2001, and many law enforcement officials and area residents attribute the ban and subsequent tickets and arrests to the decrease in both crowd numbers and the decrease of criminal problems.

Lieutenant Dave Hopper, the State Police St. Ignace Post commander, said this year's activities were very similar to last year's.

"The last several years have been a very low-key, calm event for us," Lt. Hopper said. "There doesn't seem to be a growth of criminal activities. We've had mostly good contact with the public."

Since the crackdown on alcohol, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians police force has also seen less activity, said Sault Tribe Interim Police Chief Robert Marchand, something Mr. Marchand said is a good thing from a law enforcement perspective.

"It was relatively quiet," he said. "There seemed to be a pretty peaceful crowd there."

Chief Marchand said he has seen an increase in car enthusiasts attending and fewer people there "just for the party."

Sheriff Strait said the past two years have been ideal from his office's perspective, and that decreases in the rowdy drinking crowd and an increase in families at the show is a direct result of the ban on drinking alcohol in public.

"Since the elimination of alcohol at the show, we've seen quite a reduction," Sheriff Strait said. "We try to make sure that everyone that visits the car show is safe."

On duty for car show weekend were deputies and officers from the Mackinac County Sheriff's office, St. Ignace Police Department, Sault Tribe Law Enforcement Department, and Michigan State Police.