MSA to investigate police action

The Michigan Student Assembly approved a resolution last night to investigate alleged police brutality that occurred after the Michigan-Ohio State football game.

"We received a lot of verbal complaints about police action on Saturday," said MSA Vice President Olga Savic.

The assembly recently sent an e-mail message to the student body to encourage fans to file reports if they witnessed or encountered assault or inappropriate police behavior. Complaint forms are currently available at the Department of Public Safety office and also will be available at the MSA office Monday, Savic said.

University community members have submitted reports not only of police assaulting students, but of students assaulting police officers, she said.

"I had one message that said (someone) saw a student attacking a police officer," Savic said.

The resolution will allow MSA members to study complaints along with DPS spokesperson Elizabeth Hall and then present those findings to the University Board of Regents next month.

"Beth Hall was receptive to working with us - she adds something to the perspective," Savic said.

MSA President Mike Nagrant said that including a DPS representative will help add a professional aspect to the committee.

"It helps us establish a respect and a trust with DPS," Nagrant said. "Truthfully, if something is amiss, we can still question it, even with Beth."

Savic said the committee could view video footage of students rushing the field, by borrowing a tape from either DPS or a local television station.

"We don't want to blame DPS," Savic said. "It would be interesting to see the videotape and see who was attacking who."

Students Rights Commission Chair Anne Marie Ellison said it would be good for the assembly to "keep a healthy cynicism about DPS."

"(Police brutality) happens whenever there is a celebratory event involving sports," Ellison said.

Several assembly members said they would like to see something positive and productive come out of the committee findings.

"I think we should have some tangible positives," LSA Rep. Bram Elias said. "This should not just be filing some reports and hanging some officers out to dry."

Nagrant said MSA's summary report should help prevent future incidents of this kind.

"Certainly, the results of the investigation should give some suggestion of how the problem can be alleviated in the future," Nagrant said.

The assembly also passed a resolution last night accepting the Coursepack Store contract between the Michigan Union Bookstore and MSA.

"After signing this the store is actually going to happen," Savic said.

The contract is valid only for the winter '98 semester and covers issues such as rental space and the selling of copyrighted materials.

"We will re-evaluate (the contract) at the end of the term," Nagrant said. "Our long-term goal would be (a longer contract). It would be a plus to us having a little more stability in the store."

The last step to implementing the contract is approval by the Office of the General Counsel, Nagrant said.

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