Friday, January 2, 2026

Low Numbers of Arrests, Medical Calls at Rose Parade and Bowl Game Continue Recent Trends

Public safety officials reported a low number of arrests and medical emergencies at the 2026 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game, continuing a multi-year trend of minimal incidents at the New Year’s Day events, according to a city spokesperson.

Pasadena Police made three arrests, while the Pasadena Fire Department handled a handful of minor medical calls during the 137th Rose Parade and 112th Rose Bowl Game.

The figures stand in stark contrast to historical data from pre-pandemic years when the number of incidents was significantly higher.

“Overall, nothing significant and numbers are low for the thousands of Parade viewers and participants, Game attendees and tourists in town,” Pasadena Chief Communications Officer Lisa Derderian said in a statement released Friday.

The Rose Bowl said 90,278 spectators attended the bowl game on Jan. 1.

Police arrested one man for assault with a deadly weapon at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, alleging he struck a victim with a metal chair following an argument. The victim sustained a minor injury and declined medical aid.

At the Rose Bowl Game, one man was arrested for public intoxication and another for robbery after allegedly stealing a hat from a female band member. The band member gave chase and was treated at the scene for a minor injury after the suspect was apprehended by security personnel.

No arrests or police incidents were reported on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2025, according to Derderian.

The three arrests in 2026 are fewer than the eight reported in 2025, which included protest-related arrests for interfering with the event, and the seven in 2023. It matches the three arrests reported in 2024, one of which was of a woman arrested for attempting to ram her car into parade spectators.

On the medical front, the Pasadena Fire Department responded to 18 calls for service during the parade, with minor injuries reported.

Following the parade, emergency personnel handled four cases that were treated and released at the scene and six casual contacts, with no one requiring hospital transport.

At the Rose Bowl Game, there were 92 casual contacts, 19 individuals treated and released, and six people transported to a hospital for further medical attention.

These numbers represent a significant drop from five years prior. In 2018, 38 people were treated at the parade, with 18 transported to hospitals. The accompanying Rose Bowl Game in 2018 saw nearly 500 medical contacts, with 53 people needing medical aid and 18 hospital transports.

The 2019 events also saw higher numbers, with 48 incidents at the parade and 37 medical dispatches at the Rose Bowl Game, resulting in eight hospital transports.

More recent years have shown a steady decline. The 2025 Rose Parade, for example, which drew an estimated 800,000 spectators, resulted in 36 emergency calls and seven hospital transports. The Rose Bowl Game that year had 170 casual contacts, 44 treat-and-release cases, and 11 hospital transports.