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Drug task force makes arrests in Ober
Thursday April 15 2010
Students sunning on the patio of the Baugher Student Center on Wednesday, April 7, ended up as spectators to more than just a Frisbee match. A line of vehicles belonging to both Campus Security and the Lancaster County (Pa.) Drug Task Force lay in wait for roughly a half hour that afternoon, sparking curiosity across our small campus. For two days the rumor mill ran, until everyone on campus received a memo from Dean of Students Marianne Calenda on Friday, April 9. In addition to the sequence of events, the message clearly explained that “Elizabethtown College prohibits the use, possession, manufacture and distribution of narcotics or other controlled substances, except as expressly permitted by law.”
Representatives of Campus Security could not provide additional information, as it involves an ongoing criminal investigation. However, the Etownian was able to sit down with Calenda and hear her views on the incident.
“These are difficult, serious situations, and the College doesn’t condone drug use [or] violations of the law,” Calenda said. “It is important for students to understand that there are serious ramifications for using, possessing and distributing illegal substances.”
She added that she would be happy to speak with any student individually about commonwealth laws or if he or she has information and wants to share in a confidential manner.
“One of the things I did hear from students about this incident is that some of them were upset that the Task Force had come in uniform and some of them had ski masks,” Calenda said. “It is my understanding that they use this approach because their team works undercover, and they need to remain concealed when serving a warrant.”
Junior Dillon Gaul found out about the incident while he was at work.
“I overheard someone talking about it in the Jay’s Nest,” he said. “I just started listening more, and I heard more and more as the day progressed.”
In 2008, the College produced the Elizabethtown College Safety and Security Report. There were 117 reported violations of liquor laws, compared to the 10 reported instances of drug abuse.
In 2007, the number of reported liquor violations were over 20 times the amount of reported drug abuse. This trend in data shows that incidents like this case are few and far between. This may explain why students rarely hear about drug use at Etown.
“I don’t think drugs are a problem on campus because I don’t tend to hear too much about it from people,” senior Sheri Hihn said.
Sophomore Allie Martin agreed with Hihn.
“I don’t think that we have a drug problem because this is the first time I’ve heard of people using drugs at Etown,” she said.
Gaul shared the same thoughts.
“Sure, we have the occasional parties and whatnot that have alcohol, but no actual drug usage that I’ve come across,” he said.
Some of the talk circulating campus includes rumors that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement and the Task Force will be visiting and patrolling campus more frequently, especially on weekends such as Thank God It’s Spring (T.G.I.S.).
Calenda can neither confirm nor deny this statement.
“Agencies like the Liquor Control Enforcement and the Task Force don’t inform me or others of their operations,” she explained.
She also assured us that students will be updated on the situation as necessary. “If I receive information that I am allowed to share with students and the community,” she said, “then I will certainly share it.”
The Etownian >> News