Vehicle stop leads to bust

What started with a vehicle stop made by the IU Police Department early Friday ended with 13 citations for alcohol consumption at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 720 E. Third St. \nBut a student leader says it was no ordinary party bust.\nIU Student Association vice president Judd Arnold said officers gave students a rude awakening, violating their rights.\nIUPD officers pulled over a silver Chevrolet in the Briscoe Quad circle drive for speeding around 1:26 a.m. Passengers then told police they had consumed alcohol at party at the fraternity, IUPD Sgt. Tim Lewis said.\nAfter receiving this information, IUPD officers headed to the fraternity house around 2:06 a.m, Lewis said.\n"Officers went to the north side of house and reported hearing what sounded like bottles clanging and members trying to clean up before (officers) entered the house," Lewis said.\nAfter being granted access to the house by fraternity members, officers were told by the house president that no alcohol was being served and there was no party, Lewis said.\nBut once officers went on a tour of the house, they noticed doors were closed on both the second and third floors, and they could hear voices, Lewis said.\nMembers agreed to open the doors after IUPD contacted Dean of Students Richard McKaig, Lewis said.\n"ATO decided to give us access, that's when officers noticed people hiding under beds pretending to be asleep, and that's when they started giving breathalyzers and writing citations," Lewis said.\n"We were unable, however, to determine who purchased the alcohol, or who distributed it to those underage."\nBut while the news of a party bust might not surprise many students on campus, members of the greek community and other student organizations are upset, and some are considering filing a motion with the American Civil Liberties Union.\nJudd Arnold, IUSA vice president and a Alpha Epsilon Pi member, said he feels IUPD tactics went too far.\n"After entering the rented living space of these students, the officers forcefully woke up members and guests, physically dragged them out of their beds and breathalyzed them. If these allegations are proven true, there should be a full investigation of all overzealous officers involved, and disciplinary action should be taken against them."\nArnold said there was a clear violation of students' rights.\nMcKaig said he was notified of the incident Friday, but could not comment until he had seen a fully published report of what happened. \nAfter repeated attempts, members of Alpha Tau Omega could not be reached.\nLewis said IUPD doesn't make it a habit of tracking down students.\n"We chose to go to the party because we had the information obtained from the vehicle stop," he said. "It's not our practice just to knock and go into fraternities, unless we have information to go on; we don't just discriminately pick people off the street"