Dear Editor,
I recently read your article on the effectiveness of campus police. The article really rubbed me the wrong way. It was said how well the police protect us and how greatly they are appreciated. I completely disagree with this article. Not only are the campus police not needed but they are a huge nuisance. I understand that they are here for our protection and safety. But is that the only thing they do? I think not. It is my belief that the campus police exist to get kids in trouble.
My friend recently came back to the dorms from a responsible night of drinking. To his surprise there were two cop cars waiting in front of our dorm. He tried to play it cool and walk right by them, but they had different plans. The police yelled to my friend to stop so he did. My friend is a very honest person and admitted to the police that he had been drinking earlier that night.
Dormitory Boys
Anzac Dormitory
Dormitory Staff In Anzac AlbertaThe cops showed no appreciation for his honesty. After razzing him for a while they then wrote him a $210 ticket for underage consumption of alcohol.
Is this right for cops to be able to just wait in front of dorms for kids to come back who have been drinking? I think it is completely ridiculous and it should be stopped. This is the equivalent to having a police waiting in someone's front yard and giving them a breathalyzer to see if they have been drinking and driving. It just isn't fair for anyone. I don't think you should have to be nervous about coming back to your own house. It is a infringement of our rights and privacy which needs to be changed.
Where's an editor when you need one?
It's also a bit like motorcycle cops parking in the shade of an underpass on a sunny day waiting for speeders to whiz by on the freeway so that they can ticket them. I doubt that practice will change anytime soon and it's likely you're just going to have to get used to the presence of police wherever they believe lawbreakers may be found. As for campus police, there have probably been more than a few young women taking night classes who have felt comforted to know that they're around. The police will probably tell you that there is no such thing as responsible underage drinking. In this era of tight budgets, we might expect the police to be even more vigilant in bringing in revenue through handing out tickets.
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