Alleged Campus Safety Misconduct

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Like the Campus Safety Log, but with a different spin.

Instances of Alleged Misconduct

Currently, the allegation comes first, followed by a chance for rebuttal or any other kind of argument against the allegation and the evidence used to support it. This page is currently under heavy discussion, so visit the Discussion page and join in.

Friday, May 16 (part 1)

Just after midnight, a campus safety officer detained two students walking in the basement of SMC and accused them of removing signs from bathroom doors and demanded to search one of their bags. When the students refused the search on the basis of their 4th amendment rights, the officer lied to them, saying that those rights did not apply on private property, and called the police. the police officer who searched AND violated the student's 4th amendment rights told the campus safety officer, "we cannot legally search them", however proceeded to searching both students, without a warrant and without consent.

• • Because the officer did not search the students their 4th amendment rights were not violated. The officer was offering the students an easy way out. If they had submitted to the search, it is likely they would have been referred to the Office of Student Development. When the police searched the students bags and found signs that had been taken down from restrooms in the buildings. The students were taken to jail for stealing college property. They were there less than an hour.
  • The previous comment is inane. My 4th amendment rights were violated--not by campus safety, but by the Galesburg police, as stated in the account above. The campus safety officer merely demanded an illegal search and lied about its being compulsory. This seems to me like misconduct; if it isn't, it should be. Further, if the campus safety officer had wanted to offer an "easy way out" demanding to search my property seems a strange way to do it.

The fact is that you broke the law by vandalizing college property and then tried to cover up the crime. Until you get your law degree, stop crying about your alleged "rights".

• • What? You need a law degree to have rights? Silly me, I thought all U.S. citizens got them. That certainly does explain a lot!
  • Campus Safety called the GPD to have the students arrested and searched because the students refused a search. It's a violation of the students' Fourth Amendment rights to manufacture probable cause for arrest and search out of a refusal to be searched; if it were not, then police and persons acting as police (like campus safety officers) would have a de facto right to search anything simply by asking for a search and then either being permitted to or taking probable cause from the refusal. This is exacerbated by the fact that the Campus Safety officer plainly and disingenuously portrayed the situation as one where they were required to submit to a search or go to jail for their refusal, a threat that has no basis in the law and would not have been held up in court had the college decided to pursue an action against the students (or the students against the college). Furthermore, to say that one needs a law degree to opine on what the law says is plainly absurd (I'm working on my law degree, by the way). By that logic, no Campus Safety or GPD officer is competent to understand or exercise the law, and thus no Knox student should feel bound by their alleged "authority", especially since they do not seem to understand the finer points of their and students' rights.

Friday, May 16 (part 2)

Late, after Girl Talk, Campus Safety called the police on an intoxicated student who was on campus, violating the Good Samaritan policy.

• • The Good Samaritan policy only protects students from college rules, not federal, state, or local laws.

There is no such thing as a "Good Samaritan Policy" as evidenced by your dead link to same. Illinois' good samaritan law protects people who render first aid from being sued. It has nothing to do with criminal behavior such as underage drinking or public intoxication. Again...get your law degree and then we can talk.

• Whoa, whoa, so campus safety policy consists of the contents of the wiki fire? and because the link points to nothing the policy isn't in effect any more?? This explains even more! Thanks, Campus safety!!

Sunday, May 18

In the early morning, a student left belongings in Founders, while computers were restarting, and Campus Safety took the liberty of searching the students personal belongings, without the student present, or consent from that student.

• • A Campus Safety Officer noticed money hanging out of an unattended purse. When he checked the property for an id, drug paraphernalia was found. Possession of drug paraphernalia is against college and state laws.
  • Once again, can you substantiate your claim that there was drug paraphernalia in the bag? Even if there was drug paraphernalia, its presence in the bag does not justify the search of the bag in that it was not apparent--just the money (which, last time I checked, is legal under state and college laws...

I was to one who found the drug pipe in the purse. I searched it to find the owner of the money and to ensure that there was nothing dangerous to my safety. Once again, you have no understanding of the law...

Wednesday, May 21

Campus security was seen and over heard referencing the use of pepper spray on a student during the afternoon.

• • This is hearsay. No student has ever been pepper sprayed. It is true that some Campus Safety Officers carry pepper spray for protection.
  • Has the author personally consulted all of the students at Knox college? Otherwise, the statement that "no student has ever been pepper sprayed" is worse than hearsay--it's...just say.

In recent memory, going back at least five years, no students have been pepper sprayed by a campus safety officer. Quit your whining about stupid stuff.

• • If it's really so stupid, can I pepper spray you?

Proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that you sir are an idiot.

• Which sir are you talking to?