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CU FOLLOWING CLERY ACT IN 4/20 ENFORCEMENT

I'd like to respond to the April 15 Guest commentary "4/20 crackdown just half-right." Mr.  Kevin Cheney, a University of Colorado law student, suggests that CU is violating the federal Clery Act in messaging shared about enforcement for this week's 4/20 gathering.  This is not true.

The goal of the Clery Act is to inform prospective and current students and employees about crime that happens on their campus.  To that end, universities must maintain a Daily Crime Log of criminal activity on their campuses.

While the listing of suspect names in the Daily Crime Log is not required by the Clery Act, it is also not precluded.  Tickets and arrests are "official actions" under the Colorado Open Records Act, and the names of arrestees and ticket recipients must be released upon request.  In keeping with the tenets of federal and state law, CU Police has publicly posted the names of arrestees and citation recipients on its Daily Crime Log webpage for years.

Mr.  Cheney correctly cites that these names cannot be listed in the Clery required Annual Crime Statistics document.  We abide by this element of the law.  But the Daily Crime Log is not subject to these rules.

Mr.  Cheney's second argument is that the Act may not be used to "threaten, intimidate or coerce students." We have done none of these.

In a news release on April 3, we reminded students of the Clery Act's Daily Crime Log requirement.  In this digital age, students should be aware that such records can be easily accessed by potential employers and graduate schools.

We have been transparent in our messaging to the public about the university's 4/20 enforcement plans.  Our police officers -- and those from surrounding jurisdictions -- plan to be cordial with the public; but clear in enforcing the law.

We ask for the public's cooperation as the university and the community at large look to end the 4/20 gathering in the coming years.

JOE ROY

Chief of Police, University of Colorado, Boulder