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dorm room search

Discussion in 'Apprentice Marijuana Consumption' started by smokingmarathon, Sep 30, 2012.

  1. #1 smokingmarathon, Sep 30, 2012
    this question isn't exactly about marijuana, I apologize. But I figured, who better to ask about legality of police actions than the wonderful GC community? :D

    So, last night around 11:45 we get a knock on our suite door. One university police officer and 2 other people who worked at residence life asked to come in. We let them in and they said they had gotten noise complaints about our suite. Of course, the 3 of us were being quiet because we thought our 4th roommate was asleep (turns out she left without us knowing, but that's beside the point). The police officer asked me if we had been drinking alcohol, we all said "no of course not" cause we really hadn't. He then said "mind if I take a look in your room to see if you have anything you shouldn't have?" and I consented, because I didn't know what else to do. He looked through my drawers, found nothing, said "sorry for the disturbance" and left.

    My question is, did he have the right to search my room? He didn't even search the other one in the suite. He didn't really have reasonable suspicion, because he had already said the call was for a noise complaint and that the caller didn't say anything about alcohol. Did I consent to searches just by living in the dorms? The housing contract I signed did not state anything about searches. Could I refuse if that ever happens again?

    Thanks all :wave:
     
  2. #2 The Incredible, Sep 30, 2012
    they dont need reasonable suspicion to search a dorm room. they dont need your permission at all, he was just being nice
     
  3. #3 d9-thc, Sep 30, 2012
    do you go to a state university? if you do, I believe the police don't need permission to search because the housing is all technically owned by the university, therefore the state..
     
  4. #4 The Incredible, Sep 30, 2012

    goes for any school.

    i went to a private university and they just let themselves in because they smelled it
     
  5. #5 smokingmarathon, Sep 30, 2012
    alright, thank you guys! c:
     
  6. #6 Batmanchu, Sep 30, 2012
    Even if you lived in a private residence, you gave him permission to search your room, so he didn't need a warrant.

    But as everyone else said, if the school owns the dorms, they can search anything THEY own. If you want to store anything that you shouldn't have, put it in something that YOU own, and can be locked, be it padlock or otherwise.
     
  7. #7 BakedPenguins, Sep 30, 2012
    Well it appears other posts have made it clear but I might as well say it to, when you live in school dorms you don't have normal rights. You can be searched for no reason if they please.
     
  8. #8 mambugaw, Sep 30, 2012
    Get a lockbox or safe. The rooms can be searched, however a lockbox or safe needs a warrant.
     

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