By Theresa "Raey ” Walker Oct. 27,2012, was the 1 reported on campus om tions total this year. FSU is decrease that number in tiie but it is going to take more and hoping. It is going to takeWtibii from campus police, students* leaders, faculty and staff alike. schools having drug violations like Ap palachian State IJniversity having the highest number of reported drug arrests on a UNC*-sy?tem campus, with 450, , oiftt of 16 schools. To be 0 is a smaller school than ASU wse) but the percentage of as still lower than ASU. Il ^-YES”! Drug use in college i been a no bramer; you I to at least experiment with >D and maybe even try ^i^like cocaine. FSU is ?e have drug use like any est Qumber of violations 's.|stem and should be wever, this year, there to 34 violations involved stalf, are more willing to answer questions, or provide leads.” Answers Chief Hassell, when asked how officers are finding these violations. “1 want students to know they can go to the police if they need help and not see them as a threat.” states Chief Hassell. lains Robert Has- police, is over as chief has revamped jy interact officers to their cars, become Ufe, they are f ««,>t com^e across their squad carsi JHassell. ‘Y a few events, just to get to kn , truth is if you ask anyone don't go looking for drug s?en college or university campus but because they are more r AlSimca “is there drug use they stumble upon information, • peers” you will get a r« dis0?>ver violations, and students, faculty, 5 To look at it from 5^e 34 violations 1 always been 34 viola ous years they went the foot patrol and ii as prominent. FSU is considered o schools in the UNC system,'with other There is no formal operation going on within the police department to “crack down” on drug use, no undercover detec tives posing as your new roommate, the DEA is not sitting in unmarked vans in front of your dorm, waiting for a code word to kick down your door, indi viduals are not even being profiled. What is happening as a result of conscience improvements within the police department are officers working with students, faculty, and staff, to educate the students, and s|>read awareness on the to prevent incidents. SttSfents who find them- ^^piS'Iwith a citation to St iitting appear before the schools lu- dicial system, risk academ- ic probation, may have their scholarship(s) revoked, .sus pension, or even exploitiition, ttependi^g on the severity of the violation Lifestyle Choice Violations have been found m four of the 10 dormitories on campus, white other violators are have been bold enough to smoke marijuana in common areas on campus such as benches and in parking lots. Romie Parker, a sophomore at FSU says “I often see “dime bags” or marijua na baggies on the ground, in classes, or you can smell it on the students clothing. It’s no secret they are doing drugs.” FSU, although far from perfect in terms of being drug free, can report that there have been no ividence of hard drug use like ct^aiip, Afk, PCP or LSD. Mari juana : i^^s to be the drug of oice, but it does not ake its use any safer. Get Involved Dr. Haynie, Dr. Hadley, Chief Hassell, and Mr. Robert Botley, Vice Chancellor for Busi ness and Finance, have come together with student leaders to host town hall forums on campus to get feedback from the students concern ing drugs, safety, and other press ing issues, and to clearly spell out the consequences if you choose to violate any rules or laws. “We want to make sure that we pro tect our name. When people hear the name FSU they don’t think of drugs, they think of all the positive things and what a great institution this is. We need to make sure we don’t tamish our reputa tion in any way.” Chief Hassell proudly states. “The safety of the students comes first, but we have to work together to ensure that" he adds. If you take pride in FSU and yourself then show it? FSU challenges you to stay diug itee, itay m the books, and s.ttiy involved if you have any ideas or suggestions the Chancellors, and Police (-hifi ein.ourai.'e you to attend meetings and Sb^4c1eas that can help keep FSU . safe anJ decreise our violation num bers in the coming year so that FSU can reniain one ot the safest campuses within the UNC system and across the nation. To read this story in it’s entirety, check outfsuthevoice.com of -^ft^Miews-ae.com