10ofRods
Verified Anthropologist
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I don't remember ever seeing a warrant issued for the search that the WSU police officers did when they searched the parking data base at WSU, looking for a white Elantra among the cars owned by their faculty, staff and students, and then handing that information over to the Mosdow Police Department.
It just seems odd to me that the information that university employees provide in order to park on state university campuses isn't protected like other information and that a search warrant wasn't needed.
Maybe others know why that is the case, and how WSU officers were able to do this without a warrant. Or maybe I missed the warrant information on the long list of warrants and warrant returns issued that many of our researchers here have posted over the course of this case.
I don't know about WSU but every single college (and other businesses) I've worked for have plain language in the parking contract, to the effect that if you intend to park on the campus and use the parking permit, you agree to be monitored by the police as to where and when you can park on the campus or for any other purpose relating to safety or law enforcement. There are good reasons for this - and it's true at every K-12 public school in my area as well.
Educational information is the only thing protected (for students only) on college campuses - but even so, whether or not a student attended or is attending and what degrees and certificates they have...is public.
There are neighborhoods in California that require parking permits too, and it's exactly the same agreement - to park in a particular place, you agree to display your license plate.
A license plate is public information, although in California, only LE and DMV have the ability to just run a plate. But anyone else could get the info from the DMV for a fee. It's not private. It's not meant to be private. Cars must be publicly designated and in a database that the state (and anyone else with money) can access.
IMO.