Pubdate: Tue, 13 Feb 2001
Source: The Daily (University of Washington)
Copyright: 2001 The Daily University of Washington
Address: The Daily, 144 Communications Bldg, PO Box 353720, U of 
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
Website: http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/
Letters:  (206) 543-2700
Author: Mike Brown
Note: According to UWPD police records, citations, warnings, and arrests 
for drug and alcohol use have increased over 900 percent from 1997 in the 
residence halls on campus

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.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth