It’s usually a good idea to remain cautious when interacting with law enforcement or security personnel. Even if you have certain rights, it’s clear from the news headlines that these rights are occasionally transgressed. With that in mind, does the campus police also need to follow this guidance? What precautions should you take to avoid getting into trouble when interacting with the police? Well, you can always refer to the Lento Law Firm in case of such queries.
Moving forward, you don’t want to put the officer in a position where they start to worry about their personal safety, or the protection of others, whether they are campus police or regular law enforcement. This puts you in serious danger of getting hurt by the officer. Here are a few things to remember while dealing with campus police.
It is possible that college police are not actual police officers
Campus safety officers have varying legal standing depending on the institution. Campus safety officers typically fall into one of three categories:
- A recognized police force operated by the local or state government
- A security company that hires police officers who aren’t on duty
- A private security company using non-police protection personnel
The campus security at your school may be able to hold you unless a real policeman arrives. However, they probably don’t have the power to make you an arrest if they fall into one of the latter two groups.
The law and campus policy do not align
A campus police officer can nonetheless impose sanctions when you breach the rules or school policy just because they lack the equal power as a nationally employed law enforcement officer has.
Your school does have a code of conduct and a range of other policies that govern appropriate student behavior. You might have academic repercussions for doing something that is entirely legal because these policies might be distinct from local and state legislation.
Your dorm room may be searched by campus police
This discrepancy between campus policy and the statute also pertains to your freedom to resist a search. Government-employed police are only permitted to examine your home or possessions in the following three situations:
- In case they possess a warrant
- They possess approval
- They possess a strong case
However, if you reside in a dorm, your rental agreement generally contains a clause, allowing specific school officials to inspect your dorm room. Campus security personnel might, or might not be covered by this policy.
This contradiction can occasionally result in perplexing circumstances. For instance, before accessing your dorm room, a campus police officer conducting a criminal investigation in their capacity as a publicly-employed policeman will need to obtain a warrant. However, being a representative of your university, they are authorized to conduct a warrantless search.
