Busted Event; Need Help

[Evil Muppet]

My brother goes to this college in a real small town here in Iowa.  They have been having problems with the town cop.  To illustrate, he busted one girl on a possession charge.  No big deal.  A few weeks later he showed up at her house claiming that there were complaints about too many cars parked out front and asked if he could conduct a search of the house.  He kept all of them outside, in middle of the winter here in Iowa, and told them they couldn't go indoors.  Said that if they made him get a warrant they would be outside for a very long time.  When they did consent within 2 minutes half of the sheriff department was ransacking their home.  (house with a bunch of college girls living in it) 

A second event involved the police bringing in a drug dog through the dorms. 

So my brother is in charge of some campus group and they are going to allow me to do a presentation of the Busted video and give a quick down and dirty about Iowa laws and other info not provided in the video.  I will also be using a short book You and the Police by Boston T Party as reference. 

I can think of a few areas that I need to address. 

1.  How the courts view drug sweeps in college dorms
2.  How do search and seizure laws apply to a private college campus police and also security guards.

Can anyone think of anymore issues that isn't covered in the video that I should probably address? 

[error]

Always, ALWAYS, make them go get the warrant. If they think they can. Virtually every time, they're bluffing on that point. If they really had enough evidence to get the warrant, they would have just done it.

[triddle]

1.  How the courts view drug sweeps in college dorms
2.  How do search and seizure laws apply to a private college campus police and also security guards.

Can anyone think of anymore issues that isn't covered in the video that I should probably address? 

Here are some thoughts. Number 2 first: what did you agree to? You are staying on someone else's property and you are following their rules. Certainly you signed some paperwork when you went into the dorm? I bet there is a section that details exactly how and when you can be searched and I bet its not pretty. Again, it all depends on what you agreed to.

Number 1: see explanation for number 2

[Evil Muppet]

I am going to ask a lawyer all these questions so I know how it is handled in Iowa.  I am just trying to get some questions to ask them.  .

Here are some thoughts. Number 2 first: what did you agree to? You are staying on someone else's property and you are following their rules. Certainly you signed some paperwork when you went into the dorm? I bet there is a section that details exactly how and when you can be searched and I bet its not pretty. Again, it all depends on what you agreed to.

Number 1: see explanation for number 2

How is a dorm room different from an apartment?  Then again a locker at work gets more legal protections than a locker at high school which is why I am asking.  I'll get a lawyer to clear it up. 
   

[triddle]

How is a dorm room different from an apartment?  Then again a locker at work gets more legal protections than a locker at high school which is why I am asking.  I'll get a lawyer to clear it up. 
   

Every apartment rental contract I've ever signed stipulated exactly when the landlord was able to enter the unit; in most cases it was with advanced warning unless in the case of an emergency. I would guess that a dorm room is identical in implementation, except it has specific sections that say they can search your room for drugs and contraband. Lockers I dunno about - if you put a lock on someone else's property, are they allowed to cut your lock off their property? I would guess so, but I don't know of any actual legal rulings in this matter.

[Frog]

Read the lease

[Evil Muppet]

actually I am thinking more of what case law says. 

[koolaide]

If you don't mind me asking, where in Iowa? I'm an Iowan myself 

[Evil Muppet]

I am in Cedar Falls.  I am working on a Master's at UNI right now.