Laura Gustafson
Video Log/Editor



Leah Sprain
Photographer

Campus Safety and Sheriff’s Department police students in tandem

By Laura Gustafson and Leah Sprain

The Lutedome. It represents safety, isolation and protection from the outside world — and greater Parkland.

Yet not even the almighty Lutedome can necessarily protect a student who violates the law. But it might help.

Campus Safety and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department work in tandem to keep PLU students safe. Depending on the circumstances, a PLU student who violates drug or alcohol laws may fall under the jurisdiction of either enforcement agency.

Walt Huston, director of Campus Safety and Information, said Campus Safety is responsible for responding to incidents on campus. Campus Safety typically encounters alcohol when students bring attention to themselves.

Huston said Campus Safety responds to a high level of noise or sounds of bottles being clanged together in celebration or a toast.

“Sometimes we get involved because of a medical aid response,” Huston said.

Shaun Atkinson, Campus Safety and Information operations supervisor, said Campus Safety follows a set protocol for dealing with alcohol violations.

When encountering a situation involving alcohol, the Campus Safety officer will record the names of the individuals involved. The alcohol is itemized and either poured down the nearest drain or confiscated, depending on the amount. A report is then filed, outlining the situation before it is sent to the student conduct system.

If students are cooperative, the situation is over. Huston considers Campus Safety “consumer-friendly” if students speak openly with officers without lying or resorting to violence.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies will be requested to assist Campus Safety or even arrest students, if necessary. Ed Troyer, public information officer for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, stressed that Campus Safety invites the police onto campus only to deal with out-of-control situations.

“We’re acting at their direction,” Troyer said. “We are not going to go on campus and take care of a problem that they think they’ve already taking care of.”

Nonetheless, if the sheriff’s department receives information about drug dealings, assaults or sexual crimes on campus, it will investigate independently, Troyer said.

Huston said Campus Safety relays any case involving drugs to the sheriff’s department. Possession of drugs is a felony charge.

“You’d better get ready to spend 3 to$5,000 on an attorney alone,” Troyer said. “If you have drugs, it’s a felony. It’s a conviction that stays with you for the rest of your life.”

The sheriff’s department does not consider drug use a specific problem at PLU.

Once off-campus, students are under the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s department. At the sheriff department’s request, Campus Safety might respond to off-campus disturbances to provide assistance. But police officers ultimately decide how to handle the situation.

At times, officers will choose to give names to Campus Safety, Atkinson said. More often, the officers deal with students directly.

What happens to a minor in possession of alcohol? Troyer said, “You may end up with a conviction, which includes fines and possible jail time.” But these punishments largely depend on the student’s behavior.

Deputy Tonya Minion does not necessarily cite minors possessing alcohol. “Why give people a negative opinion of the police? I want (the student) to learn from this. As long as they are not reeking havoc, I’m willing to work with people.”

But if students gets combative and disrespectful, Minion does not hesitate to assert her authority. For many police officers, the decision to cite an individual depends on behavior, Minion said.

“But if you get out of hand — as in destroying property, mouthing off to officers, fighting — that kind of stuff will bring extra attention upon you, and you’re going to have to deal with the consequences,” Troyer said.

Certain situations draw more police attention. “There are two different types of parties,” Troyer said. “There are responsible parties where you act like an adult. There are irresponsible parties where there are minors and kids coming in, and those are the ones that will attract our attention.”

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department is less willing to accommodate parties that provide alcohol to minors, Troyer said.

“If we see it, you’re probably going to get cited. If there’s any discrepancy or any fighting or any un-cooperation, there’s a good chance that you will be thrown in the back of a police car and taken to jail for the weekend.”

While Minion finds PLU students to generally be responsible, sometimes they do not think about the bigger picture. She said that most students do not think about the legal ramifications of providing alcohol to minors when hosting a party.

Campus Safety and Pierce County Sheriff’s Department work together to enforce drug and alcohol laws, but ultimately students determine the final outcome.

As Pierce County Deputy Micah Lundborg said, “If students are responsible and smart about stuff, there will be no problem.”

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