Spring Break
Police serve Sigma Chi warrant
Chase Purdy
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
"It will continue to be our practice," he added.
The dean said he spoke to the police the following morning, when they informed him of the night's events.
Schutter said the state police are not required to inform college deans of their actions.
"We have no agreement with the college to do X if Y occurs," he said. "The city police officers might have sat down during the calm of the day to say 'if this happens we'll call you,' but we don't have an agreement. Anytime the dean is called it would purely be a courtesy call."
Petersen said his concerns stretch beyond the incident at Sigma Chi. Many students who walked along the street, some with open alcohol containers, fled from police when approached.
A junior woman's cell phone sat in the purse of one woman who ran from police. When she approached officers, attempting to retrieve it, they refused her, she said.
"They wanted me to tell them who the purse belonged to, but I didn't know at the time, and they didn't believe me," she said.
She said police answered her phone several times when it rang and proceeded to ask the callers for people she didn't know. She said she didn't know how the police obtained their names.
Schutter said the purse contained eight beers and the student's cell phone, among other items.
"We have a tendency when we come to a crime scene to take more than we really need," he said. "You never know when you get to a scene that's full of chaos, confusion and tumult what item is going to blow the case wide open."
Schutter said he could not confirm whether the officers answered or made phone calls.
The student said she felt uncomfortable with police officers using her phone.
"I felt like it was an invasion of privacy, and the fact that they were using my possessions, I didn't think that was legal in any way," she said. "They were allowed to take it because it was in the purse, but I don't think they were allowed to use it."
The dean said he spoke to the police the following morning, when they informed him of the night's events.
Schutter said the state police are not required to inform college deans of their actions.
"We have no agreement with the college to do X if Y occurs," he said. "The city police officers might have sat down during the calm of the day to say 'if this happens we'll call you,' but we don't have an agreement. Anytime the dean is called it would purely be a courtesy call."
Petersen said his concerns stretch beyond the incident at Sigma Chi. Many students who walked along the street, some with open alcohol containers, fled from police when approached.
A junior woman's cell phone sat in the purse of one woman who ran from police. When she approached officers, attempting to retrieve it, they refused her, she said.
"They wanted me to tell them who the purse belonged to, but I didn't know at the time, and they didn't believe me," she said.
She said police answered her phone several times when it rang and proceeded to ask the callers for people she didn't know. She said she didn't know how the police obtained their names.
Schutter said the purse contained eight beers and the student's cell phone, among other items.
"We have a tendency when we come to a crime scene to take more than we really need," he said. "You never know when you get to a scene that's full of chaos, confusion and tumult what item is going to blow the case wide open."
Schutter said he could not confirm whether the officers answered or made phone calls.
The student said she felt uncomfortable with police officers using her phone.
"I felt like it was an invasion of privacy, and the fact that they were using my possessions, I didn't think that was legal in any way," she said. "They were allowed to take it because it was in the purse, but I don't think they were allowed to use it."
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 10
FrankBlacke
FrankBlacke
posted 9/08/08 @ 12:45 AM EST
Sounds dicey. Nice report.
Hugh
posted 9/08/08 @ 9:45 AM EST
What a frightening turn of events. Kudos to the county and local police for their professionalism and respectful demeanor. Shame on the Michigan State Police. (Continued…)
Matt
posted 9/08/08 @ 2:47 PM EST
"We have a tendency when we come to a crime scene to take more than we really need," he said. "You never know when you get to a scene that's full of chaos, confusion and tumult what item is going to blow the case wide open. (Continued…)
Mr. P
posted 9/08/08 @ 3:08 PM EST
This is an absolute atrocity. Since leaving the college last spring and falling out of the loop, I decided to meander back to the collegian to see what is happening. (Continued…)
Royce
posted 9/10/08 @ 11:58 PM EST
Is that slovenly state trooper that likes to dress in full black paramilitary gear still trolling around the area? If so, I sure his cheeto-stained fingers were instrumental in stopping these heinous crimes from being perpetrated at a FRAT HOUSE on a COLLEGE campus. (Continued…)
William
posted 9/14/08 @ 8:51 PM EST
Rifling through one's personal contacts to single out others for arrest and prosecution is literally a Gestapo tactic.
Alcohol Rehab
posted 9/24/08 @ 8:04 PM EST
Alcohol continues to be a problem in colleges...we're never going to get rid of it completely, but we can reach out to make a difference
Dave Kellogg
posted 9/28/08 @ 7:34 PM EST
So what's the rest of the story? The Collegian had and FOI Act request, what did they find? I think the state police need to take a trip up to East Lansing or Ann Arbor if they want to find students doing things the shouldn't be. (Continued…)
california sober living
posted 10/28/08 @ 2:01 PM EST
A warrant? Really? Is that really what the police should be focusing on - raiding frat houses?
Randy Spelling
posted 4/02/09 @ 3:14 PM EST
Alcohol in a frat house?!? Shocking!
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