Open Forum Causes Students to Assess Basic Amendment Rights

By Jillian Beuschel
Rotunda ReporterAfter the recent decision of the Farmville Town Council to hire an investigator to assess the police department, many have realized that what they are confused about their basic amendment rights.

Junior Amy Bogozi attended the open forum that was held on Thursday, April 2. Afterward she said, "I didn't realize how much the Farmville police were getting over on us because we really don't know the law."

During the forum, junior Kevin Goolsby complained of officers obtaining individual keys to their rooms inside their house and then the officer entering without a search warrant. According to the United States Constitution, the officer entered without a warrant violated the Fourteenth Amendment, which states that every person has the right to "due process of law." This means that everyone is entitled to a fair procedure. Goolsby should have been presented with a search warrant. If he did not give consent to the search, then the officers could not have come in unless they had a good reason to be suspicious or they felt they were in danger. In this instance, according to public.findlaw.com, "the officers could search you and your immediate surrounding but they that does not include going upstairs or in other rooms." Since none of these circumstances seemed to be the case in this instance, Goolsby was robbed of his Fourteenth Amendment rights.

Junior Cameron Ring made a complaint during the open forum, that a Farmville cop pulled over a designated driver's car and made everyone get out of the car, breathalyzed them, and gave them all tickets even though they were being safe by having a ride. Although this sounds terrible, the police officer was not doing anything wrong. According to encyclopedia.com, as long as the officer was suspicious or felt in danger they are covered under the Supreme Court ruling 7-2 which says that, "the need to protect police officers' safety justifies the 'minimal' intrusion on a passenger's rights."

It is important to note though, that if a person feels that they were treated wrong, that they have the right to ask the officer for their badge number and make a complaint to the department.

In addition, when a student gets in trouble within the Farmville community or if they get in serious trouble within the surrounding area, the police report will be sent to Longwood and the student will face either Judicial or Honor Board charges. However, this rule does not apply while school is not in session and in between sessions. According to Bob Beach, chief of Longwood police, "this only counts while school is in session and during small breaks like spring break or fall break."

It is important for students to keep in mind that they have rights and they are allowed to stand up for them in a respectable way. Everyone has a right to privacy, but an officer also has the right to act on suspicion. Since every student at Longwood is being educated on how to be a citizen leader, we should all first be responsible for knowing the law that we each live by. Bogozi said, "Now that I know a little bit more about my rights and I feel more confident and will be more aware of what I am doing and what they are doing.