The Lubbock Police Department has been engaged in a “crack-down” on Texas Tech students for underage drinking and partying.  The problem is not the idea, but the tactics.  Many of the tactics they are using are dubious.  There are instances where the police issued citations to all the students at a party without first checking and verifying that they were drinking alcoholic beverages.  This practice is so well known by students that there are also reports of a group of students that staged a keg party, but the keg was full of non-alcoholic beverage, and as the students expected the police came and issued citations to all the students.  There are also reports of police arresting students on campus while walking to their dorm when a designated driver drove them back to the campus.  There are also reports of dubious police practices such as asking a student to step outside and then arresting the student.  There is also the reverse story, that the police asked a student to step inside the house where there was a party and then issued the student a citation.  These police actions are abusive and violate the intent of the U.S. Constitution.

The data suggests that approximately 1,200 citations were issued in the 2007 Fall Semester alone.  According to Texas Tech Director of Student Legal Services the number of citations issued has increased over 500% annually since 2006.  This causes some to wonder if the City of Lubbuck is pursuing revenue at the expense of the future careers of the students.

The led attorneys Mark Snodgrass and Chuck Lanehart to decide to provide free legal defense services for the students.  Both lawyers are members of the Lubbock Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and this organization is supporting the effort.  Hats off to folks that stand up for what is right!

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