<p>This post cites an article from the W&L student newspaper.</p>
<p>Interesting article that is pertinent to this subject. See link.</p>
<p>[To</a> W&L students local lawyer a ‘dealmaker’ | Preliminary Hearing](<a href=“http://preliminaryhearing.washingtonandlee.net/?page_id=177]To”>http://preliminaryhearing.washingtonandlee.net/?page_id=177)</p>
<p>The attorney cited in this article is quoted as saying " Some students come to Lexington on vacation and leave on probation, he said."</p>
<p>VMI here. Several members of Lexington police (most are okay) are abusive of their power. I have been a victim of it, as well as other cadets. Whenever possible try to deal with county police or state police (our VMI cops are all state troopers).
A certain member of the Lexpo, who was rumored to be DQ’ed from MEPS (unfit to join the military) is known for hating cadets or anyone associated with the military. The stunt he pulled on me (which I know now is common) was waiting outside the bar (I’m over 21), then confronting us and arresting us for being drunk in public, solely on the grounds that we have alcohol on our breath. He also pulled this on a combat vet who was a week back on his 4th deployment.
Now I’m paying hundreds of dollars in lawyers fee’s to fight this ridiculous charge.
Don’t drink in Lexington, and avoid the town police at all costs. Blue cars are bad.</p>
<p>Washington and Lee was my number one choice for years. This is the first I’ve heard of the police problem, and it’s pretty discouraging. I was getting ready to start my Early Decision application to W&L, but now I’m reconsidering. Maybe I’ll apply ED to SMU or U Richmond instead. I plan on being in a fraternity, wherever I go to school. Now I have the same question as everyone else: Why would I want to go there?</p>
<p>^ If it were me … I wouldn’t let the postings of strangers in the internet stop me (who knows what their agenda is) … however the postings might give me pause. How about contacting a couple frats at W&L and asking them about the deal with the police? If they complain heavily then maybe if you should reconsider your list.</p>
<p>3togo:</p>
<p>Yes, that’s pretty much where I stand right now. I’m going to ask some friends who are starting this year about it.</p>
<p>As the parent of a prospective student, I recall last year that there was a very robust discussion about many incidents of Lexington VA police bullying students. It shocked me. Now, I want the truth, I want data: Is this terrible problem still going on? What is the evidence pro or con? I am not looking for people to defend the college because they are alums nor do I want scare stories that are just rumors. I want the truth. The last thing I would want to do is send my kid away into the lion’s den, if that is what it is there. I would love to see what has changed or not in the last 12 months over at Washington and Lee.</p>
<p>Seems to fluctuate between the county and city. Lexpo haven’t been too bad recently, while Rockbridge County Sheriffs are in the midst of a crackdown.</p>
<p>One thing for sure. If your child does get into trouble, whether justified or not, do not expect any support from school officials.</p>
<p>My D (current student) says that what the prior two posters say (Kevin 2012 and wlu2013) is fairly accurate. That is the nature of safe small towns with police forces which have little to do and easy targets (aside from meth labs in rural areas). It is a fine school and generally nice environment but it’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>I live only a short while from Lexington, in another small town, and that<code>s just how it is…police have nothing to do, they gotta put someone in jail, I</code>m used to it, really, and I feel like those who come from a different way of life (Ex: urban) probably will feel differently, but if I was around the campus a lot, I wouldn`t see it that way. </p>
<p>Yeah, Rockbridge has been on a crackdown, big one. There are definitely a lot of issues with drugs and stuff like that, I will say that.</p>
<p>Well. this is scary stuff to me, even though my son is not the party type. But any 17 or 18 year old can get mixed up with trouble and to have police bullies like this–instead of intelligent and collaborative policing–and an adminstration that you all say does not give a hoot about defending an innocent student who gets arrested—you know what, I would prefer a more normal and safer campus/community situation, especially when it might be costing us over $50,000 per year. I think we will “just say NO” to Washington and Lee, despite its high USNWR ranking.</p>
<p>I just realized that I really have not gotten validation for the claim someone made that the Washington and Lee administration will do nothing to help an innocent student who is bullied or wrongly accused by the Lexington, VA or other police agencies. I hope that is not true, because if it were, that would be an indictment of the Washington and Lee University leadership, up to and including the President of W & L. Is there any evidence of this, pro or con, that people can provide me? That might make a difference in recommending my son to apply. I need to know soon because the application deadline is approaching!</p>
<p>It is not clear to me if this question is a ruse. Our son is at W&L. While it is flattering to be the number 1 ranked school by Alumni Factor (Yale a close second), and ahead of 4 of the 8 Ivies and 3 of the 10 Nescac schools in the Forbes rankings, all of those lists are way down on the reasons of what makes W&L special. The top reason is the community—tight knit, nurturing, and supportive—the students and faculty truly care for and respect one another that honor code is the real deal. In specific to your question, please research a local man named Baner— (a book has been written about him) in regards to town police relations. Baner works with campus security (as well as athletics) —read about how Baner and his department interfaces with the town leaders, community & police for the last 40 years. Look into how Baner and his wife have woven the W&Ls values together with the local community–I believe you will find this research to be one of the holiday seasons most heartwarming stories----wow, take all the top rankings of W&L aside both for education and career placements, and you will find that Lex is a wonderful example of small town America and an elite university thrive as neighbors—the question about bullying police borders on bizarre.</p>
<p>Police are only a problem for students who are too intoxicated to be walking home, i.e. falling off the sidewalk, vomiting in the street.</p>
<p>As a parent of a recent W&L graduate I will chime in here to say there were no town/gown issues experienced by us with the local police. That’s not to say we weren’t aware of some of the incidents involving other students. However, as Gatsby18 suggests, the common themes were minors with alcohol and intoxication. I would think those circumstances increase the risks of being confronted by the law or something worse at most places. However, because Lexington is a small town, the close proximities likely magnify such incidents. While I think all students need to have some sense of awareness no matter where they attend college, I was never under the impression that attending W&L introduced a higher level of exposure or unnecessary attention from the police.</p>
<p>Well, I know of several students who were not drunk or doing stupid things who were stopped simply walking back to dorms late at night after getting off the nightime campus bus system. MIPS were given. The school did not intervene. Parents had to hire local attorneys. Kids had to do things like pay fines, attend substance abuse programs and work in the local recycling center with some of the more interesting types found in the county around Lexington. Meth is a problem in the rural areas around it. That’s why a couple of people have mentioned the county police cracking down. The whole “guilt by being a student” is a bit of a racket common to small college towns, though the powers that be in Lexington would never admit. It is all framed under student safety. Whatever.</p>
<p>Thank you, UnivPro for this information. This is the second source I was hoping not to find, and as a former investigative reporter, my editors always insisted on two credible sources before printing my story. So we have validated now that when innocent students are wrongly arrested by local police, Washington & Lee’s administration does nothing to assist the students. Has this story been covered by either the local press or by the on campus student newspapers? Perhaps this kind of public exposure might shame or prod Washington and Lee’s administration into a change of stance. If so, I might then encourage my son to apply.</p>
<p>Sent from my ADR6410LVW using CC</p>
<p>morganhill: I’m not an attorney in VA, but my understanding is that the VA law is very strict about the defintion of possession. A minor who “possesses” ANY amount of alcohol, is technically a Minor In Possession (MIP) in VA. Your body is considered a “container” and therefore if the police can prove there is alcohol, any alcohol, in your body, then you are in possession. That’s what W&L students have told me they have been told, over and over. </p>
<p>You don’t have to be drunk to be charged or convicted of being a MIP. Even a small amount of alcohol will do it. So kids who have been drinking but are not drunk are not innocent under the law in VA. And I know W&L makes this crystal clear to students at orientation, and their parents at Parent’s Weekend, and on many other occasions. </p>
<p>But yes, it may be that the small-town police force is overly aggressive about cracking down on the Minors in Possession. I do know for a fact that this is true of many other small college town police forces across the country, as mentioned above. </p>
<p>It would be interesting to hear from VA attorneys on this one.</p>
<p>well–244 posts–investigative reporter–i think the grownups here all get it—</p>
<p>I started this thread over a year ago. Jane 345 has the VA law right, so police can stop students in the state almost at will, if they choose to, particularly at night. While the level of high pressure tactics by the Lexington police has been reduced, students there still have to be careful when in public at night. The posts mentioning the county police are accurate. There are meth labs in the area and related drug issues. Students have been arrested for distribution of related drugs by city and county police. The police use hidden camera investigations to catch suspects. The school tends to follow the lead of the VA courts. It never gets out in front. That is why it is hands-off in these matters. Washington & Lee is a fine school, the town is nice, but these side issues exist. They don’t overwhelm the experience for most students. If a student is not a get-in-trouble type they should be fine. The problem would be for those who are a little less careful. With teenagers you never know which part of their brain is going to be in charge. You have to know your child to decide whether the school is right for them.</p>