The increased police patrols north of campus may be having their intended effect; the U-District managed to stay out of the newspapers and remain crime-free last weekend. However, heightened police presence near campus didn’t stop some UW residents from getting into trouble, as RAs had plenty to phone in last week.

On Feb. 27, a McMahon RA reported a burning marijuana odor emanating from a student’s room in the North Tower. The UWPD responded to the call.

“We went in the room and it smelled like marijuana,” said UWPD Assistant Chief Ralph Robinson. “A couple of young ladies admitted to smoking marijuana.”

The police confiscated a glass pipe for destruction but made no arrests.

On Feb. 29, police returned to the residence hall, this time in response to a noise complaint. The student resident had been warned earlier in the evening to turn down the loud music he was playing. When the UWPD returned to his room a second time that night, the student was issued a citation for noise violation.

That same night, the UWPD was called to Lander Hall to break up a fight involving about 10 individuals.

“When we got there, one young lady had a large scratch on her back and a small scratch on her chin,” Robinson said. “She also reported having pain in her right eye from being punched in the face.”

When police arrived, several students ran off and weren’t caught. Four students remained to talk to police, and one student was cited for assault in the fourth degree, or a simple assault. No students were hospitalized or arrested, Robinson said.

Police also made an appearance at McCarty Hall on Feb. 29. An RA reported smelling marijuana coming from one of the rooms. Police entered the student’s room and the student admitted to smoking.

“We confiscated a pipe, a grinder and the drugs for evidence and destruction,” Robinson said. “We didn’t take any criminal action against the student, but we informed his parents.”

Robinson said that residence hall drug raids are a common part of the job.

“It seems like every week we get a few of them,” he said.

[Reach columnist Siv Prince at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]