The new moratorium

Another example of big, wasteful government

By Tommy Owens
From the October 2006 Print Edition

The University of California Police Department has crossed the line in its supposedly well-intentioned campaign to curb underage drinking. Apparently unable to prosecute underage drinkers by employing standard practices, the UCPD now resorts to sending officers dressed as college students or university-watchdog officials to fraternity parties. Another academic year brings yet another attempt to demonize and vilify the Greek community.

As a proud member of the community myself, I feel the UCPD strategy is neither good policy nor good politics. It forces the Greek system, still recovering from the dismal 2005 alcohol-moratorium policy, to conduct its social events even more discretely. Over time, it forces more fraternity parties to be closed to the general public, significantly increasing the potential for binge drinking and other dangerous behaviors. Before the UCPD’s attempt to impersonate college students, Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol seemed to be doing a sufficient job regulating Greek events. Now, officers break the rules by impersonating GAMMA officials. What necessitated the UCPD’s sudden outburst of interest in frat parties?

One could easily assume the interest is a result of anti-Greek sentiment within the city of Berkeley and in the upper echelons of the University of California bureaucracy. Some of that sentiment is well-founded in light of notorious cases that have recently surfaced. Many of these cases were the fault of the Greek community. Yet this new strategy does not, and will never, rectify the problems caused by Greeks in Berkeley or anywhere else in the country. A few bad apples should not ruin one of the biggest social apparatuses on campus.

According to the Daily Californian, the UCPD’s efforts are funded by "more than $120,000 in state grants this year, including the first award ever given to a university police force by California’s alcoholic beverage control program." This means that $120,000 of taxpayer money is fully dedicated to verifying that those enjoying a staple of Berkeley nightlife are at least 21 years old. What’s more, the program has little chance of working. I would be hard pressed find anyone who seriously thinks students under the age of 21 will suddenly stop drinking at social events, Greek or not.

None of Berkeley’s (to-date) four murders, 17 rapes, 355 robberies, or 181 aggravated assaults could have been prevented by placing undercover officers at Greek social events. Couldn’t these officers be put to better use? Doesn’t intravenous drug use in People’s Park constitute a more dangerous breach of law than a 20-year-old sipping a beer?

Even worse, the policy is near-sighted as well. Though it may decrease the volume of college students going to Greek parties, it will backfire since it will instead send them to apartment events, which are regulated only by those throwing the event.

In addition, while drinking at age 18 is illegal, it is far from despicable. At 18, one can sign up for the military and fight in Iraq, smoke cigarettes, and potentially vote for the next president of the United States — one of the most important individuals in the free world. If one can die for one’s country, one should be able to walk down the street and buy a beer (or attend a party, drink beer, and not get cited by an officer of the law). This new UCPD strategy to combat underage drinking seems like an attempt to put more pressure on the Greek community, rather than to instill good values and accountable behavior in college partygoers.

Admittedly, underage drinking should be monitored and kept within the limits of good and acceptable behavior and the apparatus to ensure this, GAMMA, was already sufficient. To be fair, the state of California and the university undoubtedly undertook this course of action with benevolent intentions in mind. And the general work of the UCPD should be commended, given all the nonsense its officers face here in "Bezerkeley." But adding plain-clothed officers, tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, and precious man-hours of UCPD time is a direct breach of GAMMA autonomy, a shameful waste of resources, and a pitiful attempt to achieve an insurmountable goal.

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