DEMONSTRATORS PICKET IU POLICE OVER DRUG ARRESTS

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.- Several demonstrators picketed the Indiana University
Police Department to register their displeasure with the recent arrests of
11 students on drug-related charges.

A handful of people from the university's chapter of the Citizens Alliance
for the Legalization of Marijuana stood outside the police station Thursday
afternoon bearing signs, banners and pamphlets.

"Marijuana heals," one sign read. "IUPD needs to chill out," read another.

"The main thing I object to is that this was a punitive act toward the
students, the timing of the arrests," said Mike Truelove, the group's
executive director. "This was specifically targeted to disrupt these
students' education, which is a punitive act."

Ten of the students were arrested early Monday morning following a
semester-long investigation. All were charged with at least one felony and
with drug-related misdemeanors.

Sophomore protester Felix Terkhorn called the offenses that sparked the
arrests "minor," and said he believed the students could have been arrested
either before or after finals week.

"I would hope the police become more compassionate," he said.

Lt. Jerry Minger said his officers can not be compassionate with
law-breaking offenders.

He also disputed that officers made the arrests during finals weeks to toy
with the students' education. Finals week is a better time to locate
students and might be the last chance to make arrests before summer break,
Minger said.

Officers also chose to make the arrests in the early morning hours because
more students were likely to be home, he said, and elected to arrest
everyone at once to eliminate the possibility that a suspect could be warned.