Efforts are under way at the University of Colorado at Boulder to raise awareness among students and community members of the consequences of unlawful conduct by students.
"In the aftermath of the Halloween disturbances it has become apparent that many students are unaware of the laws pertaining to riots," said Ron Stump, interim vice chancellor for student affairs.
"We are currently engaging in efforts to educate students and the community about possible consequences of student misbehavior off campus."
Stump will co-lead a city-campus task force that the Boulder Police Department is forming to develop strategies for dealing with disturbances like the Halloween riot. The task force is modeled after one that was successfully initiated by the Boulder Police Department several years ago to deal with the Mall Crawl.
According to Lt. John Kish of the CU Police, both CU and Boulder city police officers use Colorado State Statutes as guidelines for making arrests and bringing criminal charges against people involved in disturbances.
"The police have the right to disperse a crowd to maintain public safety," Kish said.
"Failure to obey a dispersal order can result in a number of applicable offense categories, depending on the circumstances. The offense classes can range from a misdemeanor to felony."
CU-Boulder also has a student code of conduct which states that students may be held accountable to both civil and criminal authorities, as well as to the university, by breaking a law that also violates the university's Standards of Conduct.
Depending on the situation, violation of the two following standards are likely to be used to determine disciplinary action, which can result in suspension or expulsion if the student is found guilty:
* Standard 2: Interfering with, obstructing or disrupting police or fire responses.
* Standard 5: Violating any federal, state or local laws.
Following are excerpts from several Colorado Revised Statutes that could be used to bring charges upon a person participating in a riot:
* Disobedience of public safety orders under riot conditions (CRS 18-9-105): A person commits a class 3 misdemeanor if, during a riot or when one is impending, he/she knowingly disobeys a reasonable public safety order to move, disperse, or refrain from specified activities in the immediate vicinity of the riot.
* Inciting riot (CRS 18-9-102): A person commits inciting riot if he/she (a) incites or urges a group of five or more persons to engage in a current or impending riot, or (b) gives commands, instructions or signals to a group of five or more persons in furtherance of a riot.
* Engaging in a riot (CRS 18-9-104): A person commits an offense if he/she engages in a riot. The offense is a class 4 felony if the actor employs a deadly weapon or destructive device in the course of rioting.
* Criminal mischief (CRS 18-4-501): Any person who knowingly damages the real or personal property of one or more other persons in the course of a single criminal episode could be charged with a class 2 or 3 misdemeanor, or a class 3 or 4 felony, depending on the amount of damage incurred, ranging from less than one hundred dollars to more than fifteen thousand dollars.
* Disorderly conduct (CRS 18-9-06): Public behavior that falls under this statute includes offensive utterances and gestures; threats; unreasonable noise; fights; and displaying a deadly weapon.
Additional statues include:
* Obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical services provider, rescue specialist or volunteer (CRS 18-8-104)
* Unlawful conduct on public property (CRS 18-9-117)
* Inciting destruction of life or property (CRS 18-11-202)
The Office of Judicial Affairs administers the non-academic discipline
system for the Boulder campus. It receives its authority from the Laws of the Regents as provided for in the Colorado Revised Statutes.
For more information on Colorado Revised Statutes, visit the Internet site at .
For more information on students' rights and responsibilities regarding standards of conduct, call the Office of Judicial Affairs at (303) 492-5550 or visit the Web site at .