Winter Carnival is upon us. Whether one participates in the Polar Bear Swim, pulls an all-nighter on the pong tables, cheers for our athletic teams, mingles with alumni or merely ignores homework for just one weekend, Carnival provides a much needed respite from an otherwise dreary term. It may lack the hordes of green freshmen that manufacture the excitement of Homecoming, but Carnival has its own charms and serves as another reminder of what makes Dartmouth so special.
Carnival is not what it once was. The keg jump is no more. Previously, it had been the highlight of the weekend and hundreds flocked to a makeshift ice rink to watch men, often with a little liquid courage in them, risk life and limb to raise a few dollars for charity. It was cancelled when the cost of purchasing insurance for the event became prohibitive. Now normally, I would rant about how the Greek system is under attack from many angles, and how certain surreptitious changes by the administration have eroded the strength of houses. But while the attacks continue, and indeed show no sign of lessening, I have gotten tired of writing about changes foisted from above on unsuspecting students.
Though there is much to complain about with the status quo, there is even more for which we should be thankful. Dartmouth may not have as bustling a social scene as it once did, but it's still a wonderful place. In particular, I think we should realize the positive contributions of Safety and Security officers, who make Winter Carnival run smoothly.
If you have read any of my previous columns you may think I've gone mad. Complimenting an arm of the administration? One with law enforcement powers, no less? But look at the alternative and it will become obvious that we, as Dartmouth students, are quite fortunate to have Safety and Security as our primary law enforcement agency.
The alternative would be the Hanover Police Department, and that is not an attractive option. I remember late in Fall term the Hanover Police escorted a student out of Food Court for questioning about a rape. As I read about the spectacle I couldn't help but wonder what was accomplished by this method of detaining a potential witness. Couldn't they have sent someone in discretely in plainclothes? Or could they perhaps have waited until he finished dinner? Was he a danger to flee? I think this incident illustrated the quintessential weakness of the Hanover Police Department; its lacks relationships with students and is heavy-handed, while Safety and Security generally forms connections with students that are useful in promoting cooperative safety measures.
Safety and Security officers are more reasonable because they have taken time to form relationships with students. Their bike and foot patrols make them more approachable and accessible. Contrast this with local law enforcement. When did you last see a Hanover officer on a bike patrol around town? When was the last time you spoke with a Hanover police officer (through your own choice, at least)? Because few students interact with the Hanover Police in non-adversarial circumstances, it makes for a weaker relationship.
This has profound implications for those occasions when trust matters. If a friend drank too much, would you call for help? Or would you be too concerned with personal liability to make the potentially lifesaving call? Because it is Carnival, you can be sure a few students will face this dilemma. Fortunately, because Safety and Security is more concerned about students' safety than padding their citation quotas, the vast majority of students make the right decision and seek help for their intoxicated friends.
Also, Safety and Security officers seem to be more professional than their town counterparts. Let's face it: Hanover is an extremely wealthy, highly educated town. Thus, it is no surprise that the local cops are overpaid, overtrained and under-worked. Am I the only one who notices the very frequent police sirens in town? I often wonder where they're going with their sirens blaring. Is a cat stuck in a tree? Or is it unlimited pasta night at EBAs?
From what I've heard, my personal experiences with both agencies are representative of larger trends. I am no scofflaw, but over the past summer I had run-ins with both Safety and Security and the Hanover Police.
I was on a dock down by the river having dinner with my girlfriend-to-be and we had some wine. A Safety and Security officer on bike patrol spotted us, questioned me in a friendly manner, and wrote me up for underage possession of alcohol. He was cordial and informative throughout. While I was punished -- by way of a form letter from a dean admonishing me -- I came away from the experience feeling good about Safety and Security. The officer had spotted a student (me) violating college policy, and he took appropriate action, but he wasn't getting his jollies off writing me up.
The dinner incident was in stark contrast to my other run-in of the summer with the Hanover Police. With some friends at the now-destroyed rope swing I was detained on the charge of trespassing on public property. The officer was antagonistic and when one of our names did not come up in a computer search he immediately assumed that we had lied to him. (He had made a data entry error.) His attitude was overly confrontational, given that all of us were sober, quiet and had no criminal records. The officer said he would have fined us $100, but his forms were out of date, so he could fine us only $50.
I battled the fine at the Grafton County courthouse, and it was thrown out. The end result was better than the dinner by the river incident, as I got off scot-free, but some bitterness lingered, as I found the Hanover officer less than professional.
I don't mean to suggest that Safety and Security officers are perfect. They make mistakes too. But their primary concern is the safety of students, as it should be, and they are far better than the alternative. I'll take a Park Ranger-looking officer in a soccer mom minivan over a Keystone cop in a Crown Victoria any day. So if, on this weekend, you should happen to have an encounter, sober or otherwise, with an Safety and Security officer, be appreciative: you're fortunate it's not the Hanover Police. Have a fun and safe Winter Carnival.
