SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Chargers lead the NFL in a very unflattering category: the number of fan arrests per game.
According to numbers compiled by The Washington Post, between 2011 and 2015 the Chargers averaged a whopping 24.6 arrests per game at Qualcomm Stadium.
Factoring into the high number of arrests may be stricter policies put in place by San Diego police following a violent parking lot brawl in 2013, The Post reports.
"I have a hard time believing that; I really do," said Chargers season ticket holder Bryon Moore.
Also in the top five were the New York Giants (22.5), the New York Jets (21.5), the Chargers’ division rival Oakland Raiders (17.8) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (16.8). The teams with the least number of arrests per game included the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all of whom averaged just 0.8 arrests per game.
The Post investigation found that division matchups and night games contributed to higher arrest totals.
The New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns were not included in the report because authorities in those cities did not provide data.
The San Diego Police Department issued this statement to 10News: "The San Diego Police Department works closely with the San Diego Chargers and our security partners to insure Game Day is a fun and safe environment for everyone. We strictly enforce the Fan Code of Conduct and have a zero-tolerance policy in dealing with fan misconduct. It isn't clear if that policy is as strongly enforced in other jurisdictions to the same standards as it is here. What is not in the Washington Post report is that San Diego has always ranked highest in the NFL audit of stadium security plans and fan safety."
"I just think there's this erosion of common sense and getting along with your brother or sister or just treating people with respect," said Moore. "I think that people need to have a personal sense of responsibility."
