A ‘small amount’

A Putnam Hall resident chose to enter a diversion program after campus police found alcohol and marijuana in his room, Feb. 13.

Two officers recognized the odor of marijuana after responding to a complaint at about 10:34 p.m., according to a campus police report.

A male subject, the resident of the room, answered the door. Two other male subjects were inside. The responding officers asked each of them if they had recently smoked marijuana; each stated they had not.

The officers then asked why the room smelled like marijuana. The resident subject — who was visibly shaking — told officers he did not know, according to the report.

When asked if there was any marijuana inside the room, the subject responded there was a “small amount,” and gave police consent to enter. Upon entering the room, the officers noticed several opened beer bottles, and a case of beer in plain sight.

The resident of the room retrieved a rolled joint from his jacket pocket and stated it was the only illegal item in the room. Authorities did not believe him, and requested the rest of his marijuana and his rolling papers.

He showed the officers a package of loose tobacco and rolling paper, and said he did not have any more marijuana.

Since contact with the police was “so unexpected,” the subject did not grant the officers permission to search, according to the report.

The two other subjects were searched after confirming they had watched the subject roll the joint, but had not smoked. The responding officers found nothing and told the subjects they were free to leave. After dumping all visible alcohol in the room, police cleared the scene.

Since it was the subject’s first offense, he chose the diversion program. The diversion program allows first-time offenders the opportunity to attend classes rather than receive a citation that remains on permanent records.

‘Houseless’

UW-Eau Claire Police responded to a report of a suspicious man inside Haas Fine Arts Center at 9:20 p.m. Feb. 15.

Two responding officers found the subject near the art gallery after he had been sitting in the building for about an hour. As they approached him, they detected an odor of “intoxicating beverages,” according to the police report.

The subject told officers he was in the building to stay warm. When officers asked if he had somewhere to go, the subject said he was “houseless,” explaining that he lives in the woods, where he has lived since graduating from school.

Officers requested he leave, as the building is not open overnight. According to the police report, the subject cooperated and promptly left the building.

A ‘stupid’ move

A resident’s assistant reported a strong odor of marijuana on the third floor of Horan Hall, Feb. 13, according to a police report.

Two officers responded at about 10 p.m., and pinpointed the smell to a room on the third floor. Police knocked on the door and heard shuffling inside the room, but didn’t hear a response, according to the report.

At about 11 p.m., the officers returned to follow up. A male opened the door and allowed officers to enter.

The subject explained he had left at 7 p.m. to go to his girlfriend’s room. At approximately 9:45 p.m., he went to see his friends.

The subject stated his friend had been in the room, and didn’t answer because he had previous contacts with police.

He told officers it was “stupid” to have left his friend in the room; he had returned between 2 and 3 a.m. that morning to a strong odor of marijuana, according to the police report.

Authorities did not issue any citations, the subject denied officers permission to search for marijuana use.