campus police

peachy89 · 04-21-2008, 10:40 PM

I was wondering how tolerant the campus police are of underaged drinking/partying? I went to the previews day this weekend and they mentioned students getting written up often.

Venkat89 · 04-21-2008, 11:36 PM

You get written up if you are doing something to threaten the lives of others or if you have a lot of drinking and noise going on in your room. They break up parties by telling us to go home/elsewhere. You will not get into any real trouble unless you are acting incredibly stupid.

harvard1636 · 04-23-2008, 12:14 AM

My brother goes to Penn, and while I'm sure he's embellishing, he's told me tons of stories about cops actually having a few drinks at his frat house with clearly underaged people. I've partied on Penn's campus before and I've never had problems. I'm sure it's the way it is at pretty much every other college in the country---don't do anything blatantly and obviously stupid, and you'll be fine.

mattwonder · 04-23-2008, 12:45 AM

You're never going to see cops drinking with students, and if they see you carrying a red solo cup around outside they'll make you throw it out, but the cops are there for your safety, not to bust you for drinking. If a fight starts, or if a party is way too crowded or loud, they'll break it up. If you drink in the dorms the RAs will stop you and write you up but police will never be involved.

adf8 · 04-23-2008, 02:17 AM

Clearly the administration will tell you they're tough on alcohol. This is not true. West Philly and Penn are truly fabulous places to be an underage drinker. I honestly would not be surprised if cops have, on occasion, joined parties. I was at a liquor store last week with a few friends (we're all 18 and look it). There was a cop in there...he gave us a friendly hello and left. Unless your RA is really harsh, drinking and partying in your room will likely result only in warnings. You usually have to be pretty belligerent to be written up, and if you are it means nothing. If it happens a lot you may have to meet with an admin, but I don't even think they tell parents. Off-campus, they either tell people to go inside or leave parties. And I've never had trouble carrying solo cups in front of cops, although if you have alcohol bottles they'll usually ask you to trash them. Yayyyyy Penn.

ilovebagels · 04-23-2008, 09:54 AM

We walk right by police with open containers and they don't do anything (or rather, they have better things to do. I have great respect for most of them).

My a cappella group went to Princeton and my friend got a citation for walking around with an open container. Princeton = the lame :P

atvqueen · 04-23-2008, 12:50 PM

Cops are worried about you getting shot not about you getting drunk...this is Philly. Some kids do get arrested for drunk in public (according to my legal studies teacher) but everyone is more worried about your safety than the legality of your actions.

With that said you will get in trouble for drugs if you are caught multiple times. There was a big drug raid in Riepe last week. Atleast 6 police officers and a few kids got arrested.

MomofWildChild · 04-23-2008, 01:52 PM

Spring Fling weekend State Police were on campus and rounded up a whole slew of students who now have to appear in court. Penn police were not happy about this interference.

ilovebagels · 04-24-2008, 01:34 PM

how date they impinge on Penn's quasi-sovereignty!!!

nonskaterhater · 04-26-2008, 02:33 AM

EXTREMELY tolerant. Penn police don't seem to care about anything seemingly (except skateboarding...grr). Almost no one gets in trouble for drinking unless they are belligerent and at that point deserve it. Even then the consequences are minimal.

nonskaterhater · 04-26-2008, 02:35 AM

And btw, a Penn Police in fact gave one of my underage friends a bottle of alcohol.

And one of my professors was seen playing beer pong at a frat during spring fling, if that gives you any indication of the tolerance level.