McNutt residents warned of consequences

A letter distributed to every McNutt center resident warning of heightened consequences for marijuana use does not reflect a calculated crackdown by the IUPD. It does, however, reflect the concerns of center leaders and the presence of two police officers living in the center building.\nEvery resident of McNutt received a letter referring to the "significant increase in the number of reports of marijuana use in and around the residence halls." The letter, issued on RPS letterhead and signed by the McNutt Residence Center Community Council Feb. 1, also stated that students caught in possession of marijuana may no longer receive the usual penalty of a misdemeanor citation and a trip to the University Judicial Board. Rather, the letter said, "the problem is serious enough that IUPD may decide to arrest students smoking marijuana and take them to jail." \nLt. Jerry Minger, the IU Police Department's Public Information Officer, had not read the letter and was unaware of its existence when asked to comment. While the letter informs students of the possibility of being taken to jail, Minger said this does not reflect an IUPD policy change.\n"Taking students to jail was always an option, and each officer's reaction is based on the individual circumstance," he said. "And students will have to go through the University judicial system either way." \nMinger said the image that the IUPD is out to "get" students using marijuana isn't entirely accurate either. \n"Most of the time, when we catch someone, it is because a resident, resident assistant, or visitor calls and complains of smelling marijuana," Minger said. "We\'re trying to help out the people who call with complaints." \nMcNutt President Andrew Lebensburger, a sophomore, said two IU police officers are now living in the McNutt center building.\n"McNutt now has two cops living upstairs in the center building, and now they occasionally go on rounds. So now instead of the RA calling, the cop is already with the RA," Lebensburger said. Minger said the police officers were added to McNutt last year in an effort to take "community policing" one step further.\n"It's actually almost like an RA with the combined training of a police officer," he said.\nOfficers were also added to Willkie Quad after the building's renovation, Minger said.\nDespite the warning of increased police action and presence, the letter was "meant to be educational and informative more than it was a scare tactic," McNutt Manager Chuck Lepper said.\nIt was intended to warn students of the consequences of using marijuana, Lepper said. \n"We wanted to make sure that it was understood that getting caught would mean an arrest," he said. \nThere have already been 15 incidents of possession of marijuana and one of possession paraphernalia on campus in 2002, Minger said. In 1998, the IUPD reported 113 drug arrests on campus, which increased to a total of 197 drug arrests on campus in 2001. \nThis rise in numbers, however, may not be a sign that more students are using marijuana, but more students are getting caught. Minger attributes the increase in complaints to a society that has decided to take responsibility for drug prevention, or has become more health-conscious. \n"The police department is only as effective as the community it serves," Minger said. "Without these calls, we would not know about the amount of marijuana use. Marijuana use is not a victimless crime; the victims are the residents and visitors who complain." \nThe IUPD Web site emphasizes that a misdemeanor citation is still an arrest since offenders are required to attend a court date. \nThe site also warns: "Although all circumstances are different, you can and will be arrested if you knowingly or intentionally visit a building, structure, vehicle of other place that is used by any person to unlawfully use a controlled substance." \nJust being in the room with someone who is smoking marijuana can result in an arrest and disciplinary action from the University judicial system. \nPresidents of other residence halls said they had not noticed any recent increase in marijuana use. \n"I am unaware of any significant increase in marijuana use (at Foster)," Foster President senior Laura Edwards said. "Of course, we do have incidents, but they do not seem to be above average"