Check Person 

A UW-Eau Claire police officer received a call on Feb. 7 from a Hilltop Recreation Center employee who requested for a check persons investigation. The complainant reported an older white male sitting in the recreation center lobby who did not appear to be affiliated with the university. 

The complainant noted that the man’s presence was making them uncomfortable even though he did not appear to be doing anything illegal. At 7:24 p.m. the officer arrived at the recreation center and was directed by the complainant to the male sitting on the couch. 

When the individual was asked if he was a UW-Eau Claire student or faculty member, he replied that he was not. He proceeded to tell the officer that he was experiencing homelessness and was inside the building to stay warm. 

The officer spoke with the male about the limited entrance to university facilities and verbally warned any future violation could result in a citation. The man left the building. 

Putnam Park 

On Feb. 9, campus police observed two males walking into Putnam Park at 10:40 p.m. When officers approached the individuals, it was brought to their attention that one was urinating. The officers verbally warned him about urinating in public. 

The individuals were hesitant to provide identification to officers when asked, but eventually provided licenses and identified themselves as UW-Eau Claire students. 

The officer noticed one of the students had eyes that appeared red and glossy, which they noted was typically associated with someone who had recently smoked marijuna. Both of the individuals denied smoking marijuana and attested that they were just walking through the area.

The officers spent time educating the students regarding University ordinances related to marijuana and urinating in public. The two individuals were escorted out of the park by the officers.

Citation on Water 

While a campus police officer was patrolling on Water Street, they conducted a records check of a vehicle driving by. The officer observed that the vehicle’s registration had expired almost a year prior. The officer then pursued the vehicle and issued a traffic stop. 

The male driver said that he was borrowing the car from a friend and was unaware that the registration had expired. When asked if the vehicle had insurance, the male said he was unsure. 

When the officer asked the male for a valid driver’s license, he advised that he did not have one. The officer then instructed the male to call someone with a valid license to move the vehicle from the location of the traffic stop. The male told the officer his phone needed to connect to WI-FI in order to complete a phone call. 

The officer returned to their vehicle and completed a records check on the male. It was apparent that the male held a suspended license and thus received a citation from the officer for operating while suspended. 

The officer then followed the male to a legal parking location and advised that he would need to have a valid driver remove the vehicle. The male stated that he understood and the officer cleared the scene. 

Snyder can be reached at [email protected].