Over Labor Day weekend, Baltimore police arrested two Hopkins students for failure to obey and disturbed seven citations for serving alcohol to minors and underage drinking at two separate fraternity parties. The University responded by giving both fraternities first strikes, thus any further disturbances will results in social probation.
Officers reported to Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity at 11:43 p.m. on Sept. 4 after receiving repeated 911 calls from the same community resident filing noise complaints. Officers arrived at the residence and observed students outside with open containers. When students failed to remain outside the house, the police called individual students back into the yard and began questioning them.
Students present at the incident reported that the officers used excessive force considering the situation at hand. "There were no more than 30 people at the party, and the music was in the basement. It was hardly the `party of the year,' but by the time I walked outside there were six Baltimore police cars lining the streets," one fraternity brother, who was given a citation for serving alcohol to minors, said.
In addition to an excessive presence, students felt that the female officers present were exceptionally harsh with the two females students given citations for underage drinking. "She told us that if we lied to her about drinking then she was going to take us down to central booking, and kept on repeating `you don't want that to happen.' She was trying to intimidate us in particular," one
sophomore girl said.
Officers were contacted, but unavailable for comment.
After writing six citations, two for underage drinking and four for providing alcoholic beverages to minors, the police forced the house to pour out all the liquor left. The same sophomore reported that not all the police officers were as imposing as the two female officers, "When we were pouring out the vodka handles, one guy was joking around with us saying, `Oh, that hurts.' "
Hop Cops arrived on the scene after noticing the Baltimore police outside the residence and took personal information from those students receiving citations and informed the fraternity brothers that they would be in contact with the dean of student life's office regarding the incident.
During the morning of Sept. 5, a separate group of police officers, who were on special detail, went to Sigma Alpha Epsilon after repeatedly seeing open containers outside the resident on their rounds. According to Student / Community Liaison Carrie Bennett, who was not on duty that night, students were only arrested after disregarding a police officer's request. "Arrests resulted when an officer failed to receive cooperation from student involved; one would not give ID, then presented a fake ID, another graduate student was arrested for failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer."
Another citation was given to a student for providing alcohol to minors, resulting in the seventh and final citation of the night at 1:34 a.m.
The court hearing for those students given citations is Oct. 12. According to one of the AEPi brothers who was given a citation, the University seemed to be very reluctant to act. "We feel that what occurred on that evening could be easily prevented should the University make a concerted effort to ease the tensions between students living off-campus and local residents beyond the hard work of Officer Bennett."
"In an effort to bridge the growing gap between students in Charles Village and local residents, we're working to find a middle ground. The fact that we were punished not only by the university but also Baltimore police for a party well within the guidelines of decent civil conduct is asking for something unreasonable from the students at this school," he said.
Students involved expressed concern that the police used excess force in these situations in order to "prove a point" or "set an example." However Coordinator of Greek Life Rob Turning doesn't believe that this is the case. "A few things were at work against the frats' favor. First, all the students have been gone through the summer, and the neighbors were used to not having to having any noise.
"Second, without the pressure of classes our students are going to have a good time and be noisy. Third, as is Hopkins' policy after new students move in every year, they ask Baltimore police for a heightened presence to protect students who are new to the area and are walking around starry eyed -- they were there to protect the students, and they can't just ignore the other stuff," Turning finished.
Bennett is also confident the situation will improve for the community and the students as the semester progresses, "We did really well last year at getting the community to talk to Hopkins first, instead of the police. I have to remind the people in the community to let me know if they have complaints first -- I can't help if I don't know."
