Comments on: Citation evokes questions on students’ relations with U. City police http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/12/02/citation-evokes-questions-on-students%e2%80%99-relations-with-u-city-police/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:22:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: OffCampus http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/12/02/citation-evokes-questions-on-students%e2%80%99-relations-with-u-city-police/#comment-4995 OffCampus Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:00:16 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=7985#comment-4995 People should be more willing to talk to their neighbors. Our neighbors need to realize that a noise complaint is not necessarily something to call the police about. Excessive partying in the street or outdoors or after certain hours might merit a police call. But something inside and on a quieter scale should, in my opinion, be handled neighbor-to-neighbor. This would prevent the police from being aggravated with the students and from writing us unnecessary citations to cover the cost of their time spent responding to the call. My roommates and I recently introduced ourselves to all of our "non-WashU" neighbors. My neighbors now have my cell phone number so that, in case of a issue, they direct their complaint to me first and the police second. I haven't yet seen the results of this, but I hope it works. I'm not thrilled with the idea of the old man living next door calling me, but I would rather he bother me two or three more times this year, than receive another rude visit from the police. I suggest other WashU students consider doing something similar to this. Maybe then our neighbors can treat us as such, instead of a bunch of hooligans. This will allow our police to focus on what really matters to all of us - the crime on our streets. People should be more willing to talk to their neighbors. Our neighbors need to realize that a noise complaint is not necessarily something to call the police about. Excessive partying in the street or outdoors or after certain hours might merit a police call. But something inside and on a quieter scale should, in my opinion, be handled neighbor-to-neighbor. This would prevent the police from being aggravated with the students and from writing us unnecessary citations to cover the cost of their time spent responding to the call.

My roommates and I recently introduced ourselves to all of our “non-WashU” neighbors. My neighbors now have my cell phone number so that, in case of a issue, they direct their complaint to me first and the police second. I haven’t yet seen the results of this, but I hope it works. I’m not thrilled with the idea of the old man living next door calling me, but I would rather he bother me two or three more times this year, than receive another rude visit from the police.

I suggest other WashU students consider doing something similar to this. Maybe then our neighbors can treat us as such, instead of a bunch of hooligans. This will allow our police to focus on what really matters to all of us – the crime on our streets.

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]]> By: Offcampus Student http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/12/02/citation-evokes-questions-on-students%e2%80%99-relations-with-u-city-police/#comment-4972 Offcampus Student Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:26:14 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=7985#comment-4972 The police problem off campus has been endemic this semester. While it is not stated directly in the article, they have been flagrantly abusing their power to trample on our constitutional rights. There have been several instances when the police have come barging into an apartment over the protests of its inhabitants and begun writing people up for 'Loud Parties' - not a legal complaint. Not only is it not a legal complaint, but a 'loud party' is not a legally acceptable reason to enter a residence without the residents' permission, and is especially not a legal reason to do so after being explicitly asked not to. I would ask the University to stand up for and protect its students, and not subject us to such extreme police abuse time and time again. I personally feel extremely violated by the way the police have been acting this semester, and it is not right that students should have to be afraid of the police entering their homes at any time without permission or probable cause. When a police officer illegally enters a student's apartment and writes summonses for the 10 students sitting inside watching TV, it has gone too far. Just because we are students and easily pushed around does not mean that we do not deserve the full protection of the law. The police problem off campus has been endemic this semester. While it is not stated directly in the article, they have been flagrantly abusing their power to trample on our constitutional rights. There have been several instances when the police have come barging into an apartment over the protests of its inhabitants and begun writing people up for ‘Loud Parties’ – not a legal complaint. Not only is it not a legal complaint, but a ‘loud party’ is not a legally acceptable reason to enter a residence without the residents’ permission, and is especially not a legal reason to do so after being explicitly asked not to. I would ask the University to stand up for and protect its students, and not subject us to such extreme police abuse time and time again. I personally feel extremely violated by the way the police have been acting this semester, and it is not right that students should have to be afraid of the police entering their homes at any time without permission or probable cause.

When a police officer illegally enters a student’s apartment and writes summonses for the 10 students sitting inside watching TV, it has gone too far. Just because we are students and easily pushed around does not mean that we do not deserve the full protection of the law.

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