Police Confront Students in Lyle’s Pub
February 17, 2012
Two Saturdays ago, a Grinnell Police Officer entered Lyle’s Pub, checked several students’ IDs, and left without citing anyone inside the pub.
The police officer originally came into the pub looking for several students who he had seen smoking and drinking on the grass in front of the JRC. When the police officer approached the group of smokers and drinkers, they fled inside the building.
As the officer approached the JRC, another student was leaving the building holding a can of beer, and the officer cited him for a minor in possession before the officer went into Lyle’s to look for the other students, according to Sargent Chris Wray.
Even though it is uncommon for the police to come into Lyle’s and question students, it is legal, according to RLC Dan Hirsh.
“It’s completely within their rights, and it happens at most places outside of school,” Hirsh said, explaining that Lyle’s is a public place and the liquor license gives the police the right to uphold the drinking age. That being said, this is the first time this year that police have come into Lyle’s uninvited, according to a student.
Recent grad • Feb 29, 2012 at 10:43 am
Is it true that plains-clothes police officers have searched students’ rooms without a warrant and been ticketing and in some cases arresting students on campus? If so this is outrageous, and the student body’s passivity regarding clearly illegal tactics is distressing to say the least. If the college administrators are unwilling or unable to protect the student body than students need to take care of their own. At the very least, legal action (if not by the college than by the students) should be taken to enjoin the police department’s illegal actions. You should also let the Administration, Grinnell’s Mayor and town merchants know how unhappy you are about the situation. This is America people and we have something called the 4th Amendment. Wake up!
MWZ • Feb 19, 2012 at 10:56 am
There are two people mentioned in this article. Both names (the honorific on ‘Sergeant’ Wray and Dan ‘Hirsch’) have misspellings!