This semester a good friend of mine was wrongly accused of a crime by another student at my university. Her treatment by the university police at my school was shameful to say the least, and without going into details of the events that happened, I realised how easy it is for us as students to be manipulated by any authority figure with a badge. My friend was a champ about it; and my respect for her grew seeing how she handled the situation. I decided to list some of the rights you have as a student (and human) and encourage everyone to do their research. (These rights apply to people in DC, however, upon my research it is similar or the same as in other states).
Lying
Keep in mind though out reading this article that university police, and any police for that matter, are allowed to lie to you. It is your responsibility to know your rights.
Phones
You do NOT need to give consent to showing your phone without a warrant. If someone tells you they "have permission" to see your phone right away, they are lying. Getting a warrant takes time. Giving consent to your phone includes handing it to them and putting in your passcode. If they snatch it from you, you should take action.
Breathalyzer Test
As we are all aware, the drinking age in the US is 21 years old. Of course, this means drinking on a college campus means university police officers are required to tackle the problem. If they catch you drinking, or suspect that you are intoxicated, and ask you to take a breathalyzer test, you do not need to do it. According to DC laws, you need to consent to this, and you can deny having it done to you. This applies for driving as well. I would recommend denying to take a breathalyzer test under most circumstances.
Video
If you feel like you want to record any interaction you have with a university police officer (or any officer), you are allowed to do so, and I strongly encourage it if you feel like you are being treated unfairly.
Dorm Search
This is where it gets a bit tricky. If you are living in a college dorm, it is property of the university, even though you are paying for it. The situation depends on each university and the contract you sign.
Ask for a lawyer
This is just advice. If you are being questioned by university police, ask if you can speak with an attorney. More often than not, if it is a small charge, they will let it go. Most of the time, they do not want to deal with it. I recommend, no matter how small the charge, to request an attorney.
Ask if you are being detained
You do not need to be in a jail in order to be detained. If they are telling you to stay where you are, you need to ask if you are being detained. This, they cannot lie to you about. Ask if you are free to go, then if you are, leave. And if they say no, ask why.
Search
If an officer stops you in the middle of campus and asks to search your bag, you can continue walking. You do not need to consent to a search. And you should say it. If they force one on you, this is a crime. You do not need to stop for any police officer.
Other Notes
Never physically resist a university police officer. Remain calm and silent.
Always watch out, be a witness. If you see someone being treated unfairly start recording, write it down, and you can report it.
Treat officers with respect. Most police officers obey the rules, this is not a lash out at the system. It is YOUR own responsibility to know your rights and use them.
Again, I encourage everyone to look at the rights for their schools and states, and stay safe.
