4/20 Crackdown

[Alfa]

4/20 CRACKDOWN
Were you on Farrand Field at 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, April 20?
If so, chances are your photo may be online.
150 photos of people who were on Farrand Field during the annual "4/20" marijuana-smoking event were posted online last week by the University of Colorado Police Department.
CUPD is offering a $50 reward for each person identified, and identified people are subject to possible "criminal charges," said spokesman Lt. Tim McGraw. Identified people may also receive a ticket and $100 fine and may need to appear before CU's Judicial Affairs Office.
Farrand Field was closed to the public on April 20, and anyone who was on the field - regardless of whether or not they were smoking marijuana - can be charged with criminal trespassing, a class three misdemeanor.
"It's pretty hard to tell the smokers from the spectators,"
acknowledged interim CU spokesperson Barrie Hartman. "We're going after the trespassers."
McGraw said those photographed smoking would also be sanctioned for marijuana use by the police department.
Most of the photos clearly depict people smoking from a glass piece or rolled-up paper. Photos taken from a side-profile angle are complemented by an additional photo that displays a clearly identifying headshot.
According to McGraw, more than 50 tips were fielded by CUPD in the first three hours after the photos were posted online.
McGraw refused to discuss how the photos were taken, but several photos posted online display a time code, which indicate that the "photos" are actually still frames of a videotape.
"It's rolling. It's a video. Someone doesn't have to take a picture.
They're just walking around," said "Brian," a non-student with a professional background in digital video imaging who was on Farrand Field at 4:20 pm on April 20. "(The police) sure took their time (to create clear images of people's faces) - they pulled multiple frames."
A Colorado Daily review of the hour, minute, second and frame count documented on the time code indicate that someone videotaped the crowd from the inside for 18 minutes. The recording's start time is unknown, but occurred after 4:05, when people broke through the barricades and rushed onto the field.
According to "Brian," this video camera wasn't necessarily large enough to be seen.
"You can have it in your purse, on your clothing, on your shoulder, in your bag," said "Brian." "It could be some cute girl walking around."
The event is a well-known annual tradition that was attended by about 2,500 people this year. The decision to start punishing attendees was brought on by "the legislature and those alumni who think we should crack down on those who do this," said Hartman.
"We feel some pressure there. The legislature can find all kinds of reasons to not approve money for us," said Hartman.
Student government tri-executive Jeremy Jimenez, who lobbies for CU funding at the state capital on behalf of the student body, said that no legislator has directly asked him about the April 20 event "during their meetings, but it does come up in topics of discussion (outside the sessions)." He said he supports the crackdown.
"If students are doing something illegal, they should face the consequences," said Jimenez.
Yet some feel CU is misdirecting its resources.
"The school needs to understand that 2,500 students smoking marijuana on a field is not nearly as bad as one student drinking themselves to death," said Mason Tvert, campaign director for Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), a state-based nonprofit organization that advocates that marijuana is a safer recreational alternative to alcohol.
"Could you imagine if CU police officers took the time to photograph this many students drinking at every tailgate or fraternity party and then offered rewards for identifying them?" said Tvert.

Source: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)

[klaatu]

Originally Posted by Alfa

McGraw said those photographed smoking would also be sanctioned for marijuana use by the police department.

So, no actual proof of marijuana smoking required - just a photo of you smoking is enough for an presumption of guilt.....

Klaatu

[bewilderment]

Nice find. The website is here if anyone is interested: http://www.colorado.edu/police/420_P...lbum/index.htm
There's also another thread regarding the incident...

[Abrad]

This seems like a very sneaky, underhanded way to do this. Prosecuting them for trespassing.

[antigenesis]

Originally Posted by Alfa

McGraw said those photographed smoking would also be sanctioned for marijuana use by the police department.

Silly piggies, all those students are smoking tobacco! Looks a hell of a lot like tobacco in those pictures to me.

I'd like to see them try and prove that one.

[Woodman]

The Fucking Nazzi's!