For many University of Massachusetts students, the semester is off to a raucous start, with 33 arrests made during the first weekend back at school following widespread partying across town.

The majority of arrests were for noise complaints, traffic stops and liquor-related offenses, and responses were carried out by the Amherst Police Department. Multiple summons were also issued by the UMass Police department for accidental property damage, as stated in the weekend’s UMPD Crime Log.

According to figures obtained from MassLive, the majority of those arrested are registered as UMass students, including 13 of the 17 arrested for alcohol offences, and 12 of the 15 arrested for noise misdemeanors.

A total of 219 complaint calls were made to Amherst Police by local residents.

Two large parties on South Whitney and Pelham Road were a focus of police attention, with numerous people taken into custody at each scene. A police report for the response to Pelham Road stated that guests “continued to party despite being advised to end the party and leave,” with many attendees behaving in an “uncooperative” manner.

“Each year, the community liaison from UMass and other University officials work closely with our partners in town including neighbors, landlords and the Amherst Police,” said UMass Executive Director of Strategic Communications Ed Blaguszewski. “[We] respond to concerns and build upon successful best practices to foster responsible and respectful behavior.”

Blaguszewski went on to provide context for the incidents, pointing out that “at UMass, and many other college campuses, the first weeks of the fall semester are a time when we must educate and again make clear to students, especially those new to our community, about expected standards of behavior, the best ways to socialize responsibly, and potential consequences.”  He continued, “That will be the focus of our community relations outreach this week and in ongoing work that continues throughout the year.”

Eighteen people were also taken to hospitals over the weekend with alcohol-related injuries. Fourteen were from the UMass campus, including two people who required medical assistance from the Old Dominion tailgate.

The news of the arrests comes one year after a relatively calm first few weeks at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year. While up to 16 UMass students were summonsed in one of the first weekends of the semester last year, only three were arrested.

This year’s arrests follow last month’s publication of the 2016-17 Off-Campus Conduct Report, which showed a 39 percent drop in off-campus incidents involving UMass students. The report also disclosed that a total of 17 students were suspended, and a further 23 students were handed a deferred suspension. No students were expelled as a direct result of off-campus behavior.

Glenn Houlihan can be reached at [email protected].