Editor’s Note: The Post does not endorse or condone breaking the law.
Welcome Week has come and gone. Most Welcome Weeks come with many arrests, usually for open container or underage drinking. For many Bobcats, this is their first time getting a chance to experience anything on the more adult side.
This is in no way a condonation of these actions, but it would be silly to not recognize that these actions will happen regardless of what anyone tells a student to do. If a student chooses to partake in something that may get them in trouble, they ought to know their rights while doing it.
At a raided house party
Set down whatever you are drinking and leave. Don’t run, but walk briskly. Keep your head down. Making your exit is a lot simpler if you are outside, so maybe keep this in mind if you’re in an unfamiliar place. At a house party, a police officer is likely not going to try to make an arrest; they’re just breaking the party up because it’s too loud or there are too many people there.
At a raided bar
It is important to keep in mind you are never obligated to answer a police officer’s questions. If you are suspected of a crime, such as underage consumption, you do have to provide identification, but you do not need to provide a photo identification unless you are driving a vehicle. Probable cause is where this gets tricky. Your best bet in a situation like this is to put your drink down as soon as you see an officer. If you can swiftly make your way out, do that.
Talking to an undercover
Always be aware when talking to strangers. Undercovers are allowed to drink. Just because you see someone with a drink in their hand, you shouldn’t assume they are safe for you to talk to.
Open container on the street or sidewalk
This is the law that most people will end up getting arrested for. If you so much as lose your footing in a yard and place your foot on a public sidewalk or street with a drink in your hand, you can be arrested. This tends to be the biggest issue for party-goers around fest season. On that note, don’t pet the police horses without asking. It is the equivalent of assaulting an officer.
Don’t break the law while you’re breaking the law
If you are underage drinking, don’t draw attention to yourself by getting in a fist fight. If you’re carrying a substance you shouldn’t be, don’t be loud and rowdy on the street. Pretty self-explanatory here.
Overall, know your limits. Your safety is dependent on your intoxication level. If you’re too intoxicated to know what’s going on when a police officer shows up, your odds of walking out of there decrease exponentially.
A disclaimer: this is advice, but it is not legal advice or encouragement to break the law. Don’t assume that by following this advice, you’ll get away scot-free. Every time you break the law, you should do it under the assumption that you could get caught. But hey, have fun out there, Bobcats.
Mikayla Rochelle is a graduate student studying public administration at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.
