By Brielle Bryan
News Editor
Student uses shower steam as scapegoat
On Feb. 1 at 11:30 p.m., a security officer reported that a smoke alarm was activated in a room in Decker Hall. Upon reaching Decker, the security officer reported an odor of what he believed to be marijuana, according to police reports. Campus Police arrived at Decker and also detected the odor. As Campus Police approached the suspected room, the odor became more pungent. Campus Police observed the red smoke alarm indicator light on the ceiling outside the door to be on. Campus Police knocked on the door multiple times, but no one answered.
A male student was walking down the hall toward Campus Police when he was asked by the officers if the room with the strong odor was his, and he replied “yes,” police said. Campus Police also observed the male student’s eyes to be watery, bloodshot and have ptosis (drooping eyelids). Campus Police explained to the student that they were at his room to investigate the activated smoke alarm.
The male student opened the door to his room and Campus Police immediately observed a plastic bag covering the smoke alarm, along with a strong odor of marijuana, according to police reports. The male student told Campus Police that he took a shower, and the steam set off the fire alarm. Campus Police observed that the student was fully clothed and that his hair was dry, showing no signs of having recently showered. There was also no steam in the room. The male student was issued a summons for maintaining a nuisance.
Wine spotted in plain sight
On Feb. 3, at approximately 8:45 p.m., while conducting a vehicle patrol, Campus Police observed a red Jeep parked on the sidewalk of Townhouses South. Campus Police approached the vehicle and determined it was unoccupied. Campus Police also observed an open bottle of Prosecco wine on the rear passenger floorboard in plain sight, police said.
Campus Police requested for TCNJ Dispatch to contact the student registered to the vehicle, whom the officer met with minutes later. The female student who the vehicle was registered to gave Campus Police her driver’s license, and Campus Police was able to determine that the student was 20 years old. Campus Police inquired about the bottle of wine in the vehicle, and the student said she was taking the bottle home after being out to dinner at a restaurant.
The bottle of wine was confiscated, photographed and destroyed, according to police reports. The female student was issued a summons for possession of alcohol while under the legal age to do so, and was issued a verbal warning for being parked on the sidewalk.
Male student caught drinking alone
On Feb. 4, at 11:25 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Wolfe Hall on a report of an intoxicated male. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with a male student who was sitting on the floor outside his room, alert and conscious, according to police reports. The male student’s eyes were observed to be watery and bloodshot. Campus Police also detected an odor of alcohol emanating from his breath, police said.
The male student stated that while he was alone on Campus Town Drive, he consumed six beers, according to police reports. A community adviser was on scene and stated she observed the male student, possibly intoxicated, “stumble” into the elevator from the lobby.
TCNJ EMS arrived on scene at approximately 11:45 p.m., police said. The male student refused any further medical aid and was issued a summons for underage consumption of alcohol.
Student loses laptop in Eickhoff Hall
On Feb. 3 at approximately 5:40 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Campus Police Headquarters to meet with a male student who wanted to report a stolen laptop, police said.
When Campus Police met with the male student, he stated he went to Eickhoff Dining Hall with his friends to eat dinner around 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, according to police reports. The student said he put his backpack down when he went to get his food. He said he left the dining hall, but did not realize his backpack was missing until approximately 8:30 p.m. He stated he went back to Eickhoff to attempt to locate his backpack, but it was closed, police said. He said he went back first thing that morning, Feb. 3, but no one had recovered a backpack.
The item is described as a black Jansport backpack with a tan leather bottom, according to police reports. Inside the backpack was the male student’s silver 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, as well as some of his notes. The backpack is valued at $55 and the laptop is valued at $500, police said.
The male student was able to provide Campus Police with the serial number and model number for the laptop. A victim notification form was filled out and given to the male student, police said.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at (609) 771-2345.
