Pubdate: Mon, 01 May 2006
Source: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)
Copyright: 2006 Colorado Daily
Contact:  http://www.coloradodaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1557
Author: Paula Pant, Colorado Daily Staff Writer
Photos: by the University of Colorado Police Department 
http://www.colorado.edu/police/420_Photo_Album/index.htm
Cited: SAFER http://www.saferchoice.org/safercolorado/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Mason+Tvert (Mason Tvert)

4/20 CRACKDOWN

Were you on Farrand Field at 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, April 20?

If so, chances are your photo may be online.

150 photos of people who were on Farrand Field during the annual 
"4/20" marijuana-smoking event were posted online last week by the 
University of Colorado Police Department.

CUPD is offering a $50 reward for each person identified, and 
identified people are subject to possible "criminal charges," said 
spokesman Lt. Tim McGraw. Identified people may also receive a ticket 
and $100 fine and may need to appear before CU's Judicial Affairs Office.

Farrand Field was closed to the public on April 20, and anyone who 
was on the field - regardless of whether or not they were smoking 
marijuana - can be charged with criminal trespassing, a class three 
misdemeanor.

"It's pretty hard to tell the smokers from the spectators," 
acknowledged interim CU spokesperson Barrie Hartman. "We're going 
after the trespassers."

McGraw said those photographed smoking would also be sanctioned for 
marijuana use by the police department.

Most of the photos clearly depict people smoking from a glass piece 
or rolled-up paper. Photos taken from a side-profile angle are 
complemented by an additional photo that displays a clearly 
identifying headshot.

According to McGraw, more than 50 tips were fielded by CUPD in the 
first three hours after the photos were posted online.

McGraw refused to discuss how the photos were taken, but several 
photos posted online display a time code, which indicate that the 
"photos" are actually still frames of a videotape.

"It's rolling. It's a video. Someone doesn't have to take a picture. 
They're just walking around," said "Brian," a non-student with a 
professional background in digital video imaging who was on Farrand 
Field at 4:20 pm on April 20. "(The police) sure took their time (to 
create clear images of people's faces) - they pulled multiple frames."

A Colorado Daily review of the hour, minute, second and frame count 
documented on the time code indicate that someone videotaped the 
crowd from the inside for 18 minutes. The recording's start time is 
unknown, but occurred after 4:05, when people broke through the 
barricades and rushed onto the field.

According to "Brian," this video camera wasn't necessarily large 
enough to be seen.

"You can have it in your purse, on your clothing, on your shoulder, 
in your bag," said "Brian." "It could be some cute girl walking around."

The event is a well-known annual tradition that was attended by about 
2,500 people this year. The decision to start punishing attendees was 
brought on by "the legislature and those alumni who think we should 
crack down on those who do this," said Hartman.

"We feel some pressure there. The legislature can find all kinds of 
reasons to not approve money for us," said Hartman.

Student government tri-executive Jeremy Jimenez, who lobbies for CU 
funding at the state capital on behalf of the student body, said that 
no legislator has directly asked him about the April 20 event "during 
their meetings, but it does come up in topics of discussion (outside 
the sessions)." He said he supports the crackdown.

"If students are doing something illegal, they should face the 
consequences," said Jimenez.

Yet some feel CU is misdirecting its resources.

"The school needs to understand that 2,500 students smoking marijuana 
on a field is not nearly as bad as one student drinking themselves to 
death," said Mason Tvert, campaign director for Safer Alternative for 
Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), a state-based nonprofit organization 
that advocates that marijuana is a safer recreational alternative to alcohol.

"Could you imagine if CU police officers took the time to photograph 
this many students drinking at every tailgate or fraternity party and 
then offered rewards for identifying them?" said Tvert. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake