Police Blotter
Campus officers issue drug citations, interrupt sexual relations on Putnam Drive
Photo by Submitted
The following information was obtained from UW-Eau Claire Police Department records.
Public nudity on Putnam Drive
At 10:02 p.m. on Nov. 3 a campus officer was conducting random vehicle patrol traveling eastbound along Putnam Drive when he noticed a red Honda Pilot parked within the Beaver Dam turnaround.
The officer observed the vehicle’s engine to be off and its lights to be deactivated. He then parked and exited his squad car. While walking towards the vehicle, the officer saw a nude male subject within the rear passenger compartment and a nude female subject seated in the driver’s seat. As he continued approaching, the female subject put a shirt on and placed a jacket over her lap.
The officer introduced himself and explained the reason for his contact. The female subject identified herself by her driver’s license and the male subject by a verbal identification. The officer then told the subjects he would return to the vehicle after they had properly dressed themselves.
While at his squad car, the officer conducted a records check on the two. He found that they were both valid to drive and were without warrants. The car was registered to the female subject.
As the officer returned to the vehicle the female subject told him she knew she had made “a stupid decision.” She told the officer she had been dating the male subject for several months and had met him on an online dating website.
The male subject told the officer that they were in the process of undressing to have sex when the officer interrupted them. He told the officer he had traveled from out of the area to go on the date, and felt the two were in enough of a secluded area that they would not cause problems.
The officer explained to the subjects the location was not appropriate. They both told the officer they understood and had just made a bad decision. • Upon questioning, both subjects said they had no further questions regarding the officer’s contact. •
The officer observed the subjects leaving the scene and then cleared.
Drug Delinquency
At 10:20 p.m. on Nov. 3, a campus officer was dispatched to a drug case at Governors Hall. A second officer came along to assist. Upon arrival, the officer met with a Governors Hall resident assistant, who pointed her to the suspicious room.
While outside the room, the reporting officer detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming through the door frame. She could not smell the odor coming from other rooms in the immediate area. After knocking on the door, a male subject answered.
The officer introduced herself and asked if he lived in the room. He said he did, and gave the officer consent to enter the room. There were several other individuals in the room, including two of the subject’s friends, his roommate, and his roommate’s friend.
The officer told the subject why she was called to his room. The subject admitted to smoking marihuana earlier in the day. Upon further questioning, the officer learned the subject had been smoking in his car, which was in the Towers Lot.
The subject’s roommate and friends denied to smoking when asked. The roommate and his friend said they were in the room playing video games. The subject’s friends said they were in the room watching television when he went out to smoke.
The officer asked the subject if he had any marijuana or related items in the room. The subject said he did not have anything in the room, but admitted to having marihuana and a pipe in his car. After the subject consented, the officers searched the subject’s room and found no items of interest.
After leading the officers to his car, the subject opened up his trunk and pointed out where he stored the items. The reporting officer located two containers with marijuana inside and two glass pipes. She then took possession of the items and performed a search of the rest of the vehicle.
After conducting a records check on the subject, the officer found him to have a prior drug history. The subject told the officer he had received a citation in his hometown in 2017.
The officer told the subject that because he had previous drug history, he was not eligible for the Eau Claire County Diversion Program. She then gave the subject a citation for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with a fine amount of 326.50 and a second citation for Possession of Marijuana with a fine amount of 389.50.
The officer explained the citations to the subject and answered his questions. She then cleared.
Kopke can be reached at [email protected].
Lea Kopke is a fourth-year journalism and German student. This is her seventh semester on The Spectator staff. She plays the clarinet in the Blugold Marching Band and recently relearned how to ride a bike with no hands.