UAPD discovers stolen sign in fraternity bathroom over break
Jack Willems
Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: News
A UA police department officer investigated the Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity Monday, Jan. 5, because the door was open, meaning there was the possibility of a theft. Upon entering the fraternity, the officer discovered there had been a theft. There was a stolen sign in the fraternity bathroom.
A construction sign that originally belonged in Barnhill Arena was found in the Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity bathroom at 6:20 a.m. that day, according to police records. The police do not know how long the sign has been missing, and there is no way to tell who stole it, said Gary Crain, public information officer for the UAPD. The sign was confiscated, he said.
Phillip Long, president of Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity, does not know how long the sign had been there either. It had been in that bathroom for as long as he could remember, he said.
"It's just been there," Long said. "We are all still trying to get to the bottom of it."
The UAPD is responsible for the security in all fraternities, as they are registered student organizations, but there must be a legitimate purpose to search the building, Crain said. If an officer suspects a crime in progress at a fraternity or residence hall, they will search the hall for signs of trouble, Crain said. Otherwise, buildings will be searched with the permission of the resident or with a search warrant, Crain said.
While in a residence hall or fraternity, police may search the hallways but not go into private rooms if the door is shut because there is a greater expectation of privacy in those rooms, Crain said.
The UAPD employs "institutional law enforcement officers," meaning that such officers have the same powers as police officers from city departments or county sheriff's office. However, UAPD's jurisdiction is limited to protecting the university community, said Brian Gallini, professor of criminal law at UA College of Law. This means their jurisdiction is limited to any property owned by the university, any property adjacent or contiguous to that property and any property upon which a registered institutional organization, such as a fraternity and sorority, is maintained, Gallini said. The UAPD can potentially search any building within its jurisdiction without a warrant, he said.
A construction sign that originally belonged in Barnhill Arena was found in the Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity bathroom at 6:20 a.m. that day, according to police records. The police do not know how long the sign has been missing, and there is no way to tell who stole it, said Gary Crain, public information officer for the UAPD. The sign was confiscated, he said.
Phillip Long, president of Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity, does not know how long the sign had been there either. It had been in that bathroom for as long as he could remember, he said.
"It's just been there," Long said. "We are all still trying to get to the bottom of it."
The UAPD is responsible for the security in all fraternities, as they are registered student organizations, but there must be a legitimate purpose to search the building, Crain said. If an officer suspects a crime in progress at a fraternity or residence hall, they will search the hall for signs of trouble, Crain said. Otherwise, buildings will be searched with the permission of the resident or with a search warrant, Crain said.
While in a residence hall or fraternity, police may search the hallways but not go into private rooms if the door is shut because there is a greater expectation of privacy in those rooms, Crain said.
The UAPD employs "institutional law enforcement officers," meaning that such officers have the same powers as police officers from city departments or county sheriff's office. However, UAPD's jurisdiction is limited to protecting the university community, said Brian Gallini, professor of criminal law at UA College of Law. This means their jurisdiction is limited to any property owned by the university, any property adjacent or contiguous to that property and any property upon which a registered institutional organization, such as a fraternity and sorority, is maintained, Gallini said. The UAPD can potentially search any building within its jurisdiction without a warrant, he said.
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