PULLMAN: SWAT team called in to search WSU fraternity
 

http://www.dnews.com/breaking-news/793/

PULLMAN: SWAT team called in to search WSU fraternity

January 22, 2009, 10:58 am

The Pullman Police Department called in members of the regional SWAT team to execute a search warrant at a Washington State University fraternity Wednesday night.

Police responded to the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity shortly before 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports that members of the house located at 500 NE Colorado St. were furnishing alcohol to minors. When they arrived on scene, Pullman Cmdr. Chris Tennant said police found a crowd of intoxicated individuals playing with air soft guns.

An observing sergeant was notified that illegal substances were in a red Honda parked on the street. He flashed his light in the car and found a bong and bag of marijuana lying on the backseat floorboards, Tennant said....

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/27481

Police raid fraternity for drugs, alcohol

Andy Jones

- email the author

The Daily Evergreen

Published: 01/23/2009
Story Tags

* Phi Kappa Sigma
* Pullman police

Local police authorities searched the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity early Thursday morning.

Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said the department received information regarding issues the fraternity was having with its national chapter about alleged incidents of providing alcohol to minors.

At 8:26 p.m. Wednesday, a Pullman police officer was standing near a red Honda in the fraternity’s parking lot, Tennant said. A drunk man allegedly started yelling at the officers to stay away from the vehicle. Because the drunk man gave the police probable cause to search the vehicle, the police searched and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The Pullman Police, WSU Police and Whitman County Sheriff returned with a warrant to search the fraternity about 1 a.m, with about 15 officers participating.

Tennant said SWAT team members from the three departments were activated as well because of the size of the fraternity....

Good god, talk about an abuse of power.

Who leaves a bong and weed in plain view? Not so much for police, but because someone might break in your car and steal it.

I like the way you think but it wasn't soooo in plain sight. It was in the back seat floorboards.

Glove compartment.

Why in the heck was a SWAT team called? Did they think the Nerf guns were lethal?

What a joke...

Well airsoft guns can be pretty brutal at close range...but the SWAT team? God I love the Pullman/Moscow area. My best friend goes to WSU and called me about it this morning. Gives new meaning to We Card Hard.
But a bong in the backseat?

Which legally = in plain sight.

Per the article:
Not that I'm arguing about the over-the-topness.

Depending on the car it could be visible. All the paper said was that it was a Honda, and with a bright flashlight if someone is looking, makes it visible and in plain sight. Also they found stuff int he house, not sure if it was in public view but if it was, poor choice.

This reminds me of the genius in the airport last week on his cellphone (I was 10-15 feet away) saying that "they searched and searched and didn't find his Matanuska Thunk Fuhk" weed in his luggage. He got called out of the line, and I am sure his bag mysteriously did not arrive at the luggage carousel with everyone else's.

There is a lot of rivalry between U-Dub and WSU. There is a U-Dub bumper sticker that says "All dirt roads lead to Pullman".

Maybe the police were bored and didn't have anything better to do. LE SIGH.