WE WANT ANSWERS

The university has mishandled and mischaracterized their involvement in the
Metropolitan Police Department's drug investigation at AU, and students are
right to feel ashamed at their own lack of outward concern over the entire
affair. Editorials traditionally represent the staff's opinion on one
matter or another, but in the case of the Great AU Drug Bust of 2002 there
remain so many unanswered questions that it is awfully difficult for an
informed student to come to a conclusion one way or another on the whole
affair.

So, to the university and MPD we pose the following questions:

When did the university contact MPD and invite a task force of 22 police
officers (some erroneously wearing DEA uniforms, apparently) into the
dormitories?

In hindsight, was such a massive and intimidating police presence really
necessary if all six of the arrested students were quickly released and
have been seen on campus, in classes or in the dorms, in the week since the
bust?

Why, after a two-month covert investigation, was the U.S. Attorney only
able to charge the six students with extremely minor marijuana charges?

How can students take a "zero tolerance policy" on alcohol and drugs
seriously when the policy is routinely ignored by university police,
Residential Life and Housing, resident assistants, and Judicial Affairs --
and now, it seems, by the administrators who have allowed the six to return
to class, campus or the dorms?

Did the financial and political influence of any of the students' parents -
specifically Ben Gelt's, who are prominent in Colorado politics -
contribute to the U.S. Attorney's reduction of charges, MPD's lack of
action over the past week, and the student's apparent return to campus?

Beyond tuition, are any of the students' parents donors to the university?

Who will pay for university and private property damaged by police officers
in their search for evidence, especially in the rooms of students who were
neither arrested nor charged?

How can the university and MPD expect to begin making arrests of substance
when they had the element of surprise on their side last week and only made
six minor ones?

Public Safety officers and many AU administrators were not made aware of
the raids before or as they occurred. If the university has such little
faith in Public Safety and administrators, why does it not just say so and
fix the problems?

MPD officials have consistently gone out of their way to stress the
university's helpfulness and cooperation in the investigation. Why?

And why have university and police officials consistently failed to answer
questions or return phone calls regarding these matters?

These questions require answers, and while The Eagle has been able to
uncover all sorts of information about the investigation not suitable for
printing, the university and police have for over a week passed the buck to
each other.

Still, more disappointing than the university's obstruction - or
"cooperation", depending upon how one views the situation - is the
students' apparent lack of concern over the entire affair. While some
anti-drug war chalkings and banners have predictably appeared on campus
over the past few days, the silence from average students is deafening.

Students ought to expect and demand answers, but perhaps they have
neglected to take up the issue because they did not know where to start. If
the university will not come forth with answers, perhaps they will become
more "cooperative" if students come to them.

Dwight Allen, who led up the operation on Public Safety's end, can be
reached at 885-2531. Todd Sedmak of Media Relations is at 885-5950, and
MPD's Lt. Eaves, who ran the bust, is at either 282-0030 or 282-0070.
Channing Phillips of the US Attorney's office can answer questions about
why the students were charged in the manner they were; his number is
514-6933. AU Dean of Students Faith Leonard can discuss general student
concerns, but didn't return our calls this week and didn't answer our
questions last week. But just in case, her number is 885-3318. Julie Weber
of Residential Life and Housing Services might be able to discuss whether
students have been monitored inside the dorms - we would ask, but she
hasn't returned our calls. Her number is 885-3370.

With all these names and numbers, one would think that it would be easy to
find answers to some of the questions we've posed on the students' behalf.
Curiously, our reporter only seems able to find out when the next raids
will be and who should be getting out of Dodge.