DRUG INCIDENTS SKYROCKET IN U. WASHINGTON DORMS

SEATTLE Arrests, citations and warnings for illegal drugs have increased
by almost 900 percent since 1996 in the University of Washington residence
halls.

Campus-wide, the combination of illegal drug arrests, citations and
warnings has increased from 35 in 1996 to 200 in 2000. In the residence
halls alone, the number has increased from five to 49 in the same five years.

Police records indicate most of the incidents involved marijuana rather
than harder drugs, such as cocaine or LSD. The data was provided by Sgt.
David Girtz of the UWPD and was analyzed by The Daily.

The trend is consistent with data recently released by the U.S. Department
of Education, which listed the UW as having the fourth highest number of
illegal drug arrests in the nation. The statistics listed only arrests for
illegal drugs through 1999. According to the report, on-campus arrests for
illegal drugs increased from 29 in 1997 to 127 in 1999 at the UW.

It is unclear the degree to which the increase in drug-related incidents is
attributable to increased illegal drug use on campus or increased law
enforcement efforts. Girtz was unable to explain the increase and did not
know of any policy changes that may have caused the increase.

UW Police Chief Vicky Peltzer, who has been police chief since August of
1999, was also unable to explain the dramatic increase. She said she has
not implemented any policy changes that could have caused the increase nor
was she aware of any policy changes made by her predecessor, Roger Serra,
that might explain the increase.

"We are a very proactive department, but I'm not aware of any policy
changes," said Peltzer.

Despite the consistent increase in drug incidents, Peltzer said illegal
drugs do not overly plague the UW. She attributes most of the incidents to
non-students.

"We feel that approximately 80 percent of the incidents involve
non-students. We are an urban campus and a lot of people from the
surrounding area come onto campus. I don't believe the UW has any larger
problem with illegal drugs than other universities in similar
circumstances," said Peltzer.

The current record-keeping system does not track whether suspects are
students at the UW. There are plans under way to improve the system, and
Peltzer would like to be able to positively identify incidents involving
students verses non-students.

Of the drug-related incidents inside the residence halls, Peltzer
attributes the increase more to a strong focus on community policing than
on increased drug use. She also points out that just because the incidents
took place in the residence halls does not mean students were exclusively
involved.

The UWPD has officers monitor the residence halls. Peltzer found that some
officers were not spending as much time in the halls as she felt was necessary.

"I have really, really strongly encouraged officers assigned to the
residence halls to spend time in the halls. I want the dorm officers to
know what is going on inside the dorms," said Peltzer.

Kelly Boyer, assistant director for residential life with UW Housing and
Food Services, confirmed that police officers are spending increasing time
in the residence halls.

"The officers covering the halls are rotated. A couple of years ago, the
officers were spending too much time outside the residence halls, in the
parking lot and nearby," said Boyer.

Peltzer did feel the UWPD is drawing higher quality officers now than a few
years ago due to an increase in officer's compensation.

Boyer also said that three or four years ago there was a policy change that
may have contributed to the increased numbers. Resident advisors on each
floor were instructed to call the police if they suspected drug use in the
residence halls.

Marijuana is the only drug that Boyer can say for sure is on the increase.
Other drugs, such as what she called "club drugs," such as ecstasy, and
hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, do not emit the strong pungent odor
of marijuana, and thus are less likely to draw attention.

Students living in the residence halls were unimpressed by the increase in
drug incidents. Most felt usage, rather than enforcement, was behind the
statistical increase. Most were resigned to drug use in the resident halls,
and in society in general.

"I'm not surprised by the increase. I would have predicted it. We see it
all the time on TV and in the media," said Lana Kim, a Haggett Hall resident.

According to Milena Bocchetti, a UW freshman and Mercer Hall resident, "We
know drug use is spreading. It is more common now. Nothing seems to help much."

ON-CAMPUS ALCOHOL INCIDENTS

On campus alcohol arrests, citations and warnings combined show a less
dramatic increase than on-campus drug incidents, rising from 104 in 1996 to
203 in 2000. In the residence halls alone, they increased from 25 in 1996
to 38 in 2000.

Addressing the increase in residence hall incidents, UW Police Chief Vicky
Peltzer said that the police were aware of some small food stores in the
U-District that were selling alcohol to underage students. The police have
been working with the Washington state Liquor Control Board to address the
problem.

Most of the total on-campus alcohol-related offenses took place at Husky
Stadium during football games where all alcohol is prohibited. And, the
offenses at Husky Stadium actually decreased from 164 in 1999 to 129 in 2000.

During the fall of 2000, the stadium hosted six Seahawks games, which would
be expected to increase the number of alcohol incidents. According to UWPD
Sgt. David Girtz, the decrease in 2000 was significant.

Peltzer attributed the decline in alcohol-related offenses at Husky Stadium
to a joint project launched by the UWPD and the UW athletic department,
where flyers explaining the state laws regarding alcohol at the stadium
were passed out.