No consensus on proposal to report student arrests

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A law-enforcement spokeswoman is wary of making law-enforcement officials notify universities when students are arrested anywhere in Virginia, but some state legislators are open to the idea.

The University of Virginia says if it had known lacrosse men's player George Huguely had been arrested and convicted in Lexington on drinking and resisting-arrest charges a year and a half ago, it might have been able to intervene.

Huguely, 22, of Chevy Chase, Md., is charged with first-degree murder in the death of women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love, 22, of Cockeysville, Md.

According to affidavits, the defendant has told police he kicked through Love's door and shook her as her head bounced against a wall. Love was found dead in her apartment early Monday.

U.Va. President John T. Casteen III said on Wednesday that he would like to see Virginia law require police departments to notify colleges when their students are arrested.

Gov. Bob McDonnell's press secretary said yesterday that his office is arranging a meeting between the governor and Casteen to discuss the issue.

"The governor wants to study and fully consider every possible idea that could help prevent such a senseless crime from taking place in the future. He looks forward to hearing the president's insights and thoughts on the issue," Stacey Johnson said in an e-mail.

Casteen said Virginia's lack of required notification is a "hole you can drive a truck through."

But Dana G. Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, raised questions about the proposed mandate.

When arresting someone, police officers do not always ask if the person is a student. If they do, Schrad noted, the student might lie. A student-athlete who could lose a scholarship might withhold the information, she said.

If a police department failedto notify the university of a student's arrest, she added, what would be the consequences?

Further, she said, notifying universities of student arrests -- rather than convictions -- could pose privacy and civil liberties concerns. What if a student were cleared?

Schrad also said the requirement would add another expense to local police budgets.

"There's a tendency to think that doing something like this in the wake of a tragedy will plug the hole," said Schrad, the mother of two U.Va. graduates. "It won't."

A better strategy, she said, would be to encourage young people who are aware of abusive relationships to report the abuse. "We need our students to stand up for each other," she said.

Albemarle County Sheriff J.E. "Chip" Harding pointed out that Charlottesville and the county long have notified U.Va. when students are arrested. He said he has no objections to enacting a similar process across the state: "It's doable."

U.Va. spokeswoman Carol Wood said: "If a student gets arrested for being drunk in public, we want to know and meet with them, regardless of whether or not they're eventually convicted. That could be an early warning sign."

The university already has a policy requiring students to self-report criminal violations to U.Va., but sometimes, as in Huguely's case, that does not occur.

Some lawmakers who were asked about the proposal said they are receptive to the idea.

"The more informed universities are about the background of the youngsters there, the better able the universities would be to help the youngsters get the help they need," said Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville.

Student privacy concerns, Toscano said, should be weighed carefully. But lawmakers should be able to work through those issues, he said.

State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, said he would consider Casteen's idea, noting that it could help universities detect warning signs of alcohol abuse and violence.

Del. Robert B. Bell, R-Albemarle, said he does not think there would be privacy issues because most college students are 18 or older and records of their arrests are open to the public.

But there might be some logistical issues, he said. "It's something I would want to look at."

Brian McNeill is a staff writer at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville.