Dozens of students, faculty members and administrators will be "arrested" on phony charges as part of UR Busted, a charity fundraiser sponsored by the University Police Department.
Students and university employees can donate $10 to file an arrest warrant for a friend or colleague. With the future prisoners' consent, the police will pick them up at a given time and place, put them in the back of a police car and take them to the Richmond Room on the first floor of the Heilman Dining Center to "stand trial," said Sgt. Randall Baran of the University Police.
People will be picked up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 12. After the trial, an honorary judge will set bail, and the student or staff member will attempt to raise that amount, Baran said.
The participating students and employees will be treated to a catered lunch and given a free t-shirt, he said.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Virginia Special Olympics, Baran said. UR Busted is in its third year and has grown each time, he said.
"The first year, we raised about $3,000, last year, around $5,000, and we feel that we can do even more this year," he said.
This year, university police sought help from the student government members to spread the word and increase student participation, Baran said.
Freshman Alex Holva, the Richmond College Student Government Association representative, said that he and the police had hoped to get 30 students and 30 university employees involved this year.
A student's bail is usually $25 to $50, Baran said. Leaders of student organizations are encouraged to participate because they may be able to raise more money, he said.
Steve Bisese, vice president for student development, has participated the past two years and has brought in higher sums, Baran said.
He emphasized that, although the program had a fundraising goal, he still wanted it to be a fun thing for students to do. Many of the citations are inside jokes between friends, such as wearing too much pink or having a bad hair day, he said.
The program should be a good way for students and the police to build a positive relationship, said freshman Rebecca Gluck, the Westhampton College Government Association representative.
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"A lot of the time, people only have a [negative relationship] with the police, instead of seeing them in a good light," she said. "I've talked to them, and they are some of the nicest and funniest people ever, and this program will help show that."
Police and student government members are spreading fliers about the program this week, Baran said. He has also planned to send out an email reminder through SpiderBytes and to place a link with the warrant form on the police website. All warrants need to be submitted by April 8, he said.
Contact reporter Casey Glick at casey.glick@richmond.edu
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