Drinks are on us: the Hanover Police just pulled a 180, agreeing to delay their fascistic frat infiltration scheme. H-Po’s flip-flop/newfound epiphany was oh-so-rationally explained by everyone’s favorite power-tripping Police Chief, Nicolas “Wiggum” Giaconne:

From the statements made in recent days, it is clear that the Greek Leadership Council and other involved student groups also share this goal and are committed to working energetically to achieve harm reduction.

We have decidedly less amicable explanations. An intense outpouring of student rage for one, strong arguments made to the popo’s bosses at the Hanover Select Board meeting, and threats of mass student residency-conversion. That is, Dartmouthians invading the town, with voting rights in hand. That would scare Michael Chiklis, let only Giaconne.

Questions remain… Is the espionage scheme dead for good, or might it make an obnoxious return? Will frats and sororities continue to ID all partygoers? What’s in this drink?

In any case, we tip our hats to you, Dartmouth. You fought the law, and you won. Hope we helped with the resistance effort, and thanks for all the tips.

Now, let’s all get wasted.

More on the great Dartmouth alcohol crackdown front… As we write, pissed off and incredibly sober undergrads are flocking to the Hanover Municipal Building, petitioning town leaders to keep the pesky police in check, and out of their frat-houses. To plan the uprising, The GLC, Coed Council, IFC, and Panhell blitzed the entire campus, while the Class of 2013 President targeted freshmen directly. Their trump card? Have the student body register as Hanover residents, in order to apply political pressure. This little town may soon find itself taken over from within; a coup de’booze, as it were. Read both emails–and plot your very own town takeover–after the jump. The revolution will not be televised.

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It’s on. Dartmouth’s Greek Life leaders just blitzed an email to the whole campus, taking direct aim at the Hanover Police’s aggressive anti-fun alcohol crackdown. IvyGate has received an exclusive copy of the missive, which is probably the most cogent thing ever scribbled down in a frathouse.

Hanover Police’s proposal will roll back a decade of progress.

The best points?

1) The initiative will make students less likely to use the Good Samaritan Policy, due to increased fear of arrest and criminal charges. 2) Such a policy will drive drinking “underground” into less regulated and more dangerous environment.

All in all, it’s good to see that the Dartmouth fratboys and sorority gurls are interested in “a substantive and civil conversation on the issue.” And, of course, if that doesn’t work, they can always try burning down buildings and poisoning peeps.

But despite the typo-laden but well-argued email, brace yourselves for some bad news:

Greek organizations will now REQUIRE that all visitors present either valid Dartmouth identification or a legal state license that proves that they are over 21 years of age.

Ouch… Dartmouth frats checking IDs? That’s like, Yale bro-ing out or Princeton getting good grades. Then again, we’re sure that this new policy will be reallllly strictly enforced by the Greek houses.

At any rate, the battle for police sanity continues in Hanover. We’ve already given you a Facebook outlet and Chief Giaccone’s contact info, and will keep you updated as the tips flood in. Keep fighting the good fight, Dartmouthians. And remember, reading the age on an ID is really hard in the dark.

Read the full email–sent by the Dartmouth Greek Leadership Council, InterFraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, and Co-Ed Council to the entire college–after the jump.

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When it rains, it pours. Dartmouth better brace itself for a real, non-lame student uprising. In the few hours since the sting operation announcement, Dartmouth chat board boredatbaker.com has exploded with anti-police vitriol and mobilization schemes. Check it out: the posts are flooding in as we write. Some highlights:

like if this shit is enforced, it’s over. dartmouth social life as we know it is over.

a frat brother needs to apply to be a sting agent to infiltrate the operation, learn the rules, and see how its done

FUCK THE PO-LICE. I forsee a student uprising so big it’ll make the 7 years war look like a bar fight. And I bet Chief Nick Giaccone can barely hide his boner when talking about the proposed ’sting operation.’ Seriously dude youre up against a bunch of drunk teenagers not the mafia.

I GOT PEANUT BUTTER ON MY DICK!!!!!!!!!

Mature dialogue indeed. Then again, lots of posters are reminding us that the traditional Dartmouth shitshow Winter Carnival is coming up. Great timing, popo.

In the meantime, the Facebook group “Students Against Hanover Police Alcohol Policy” has shot up to 655 980 1792 members (42% of the undergraduate population), and is gaining by the second. The group puts two-and-two together:

This would, in effect, close down the frats into strictly members only events, and there would cease to be open parties or even open front doors on any night of the week.

Finally, Dartmouthians internet-over are resorting to the ultimate trump card: Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone’s contact info, lovingly reproduced below.

PoliceChief@hanovernh.org, Nicholas Giaccone, Barnard Road, Grantham NH, 603 863 8375

Do with that what you will, Dartmouth, and keep checking back here for continued coverage. Thanks for the tips. We’re with you in spirit; though, for now, not “spirits.” We don’t want to end up in jail.

Remember that whole drinking-age-of-21 thing we have here in the US? You know… absurd, internationally-unprecedented, and more to blame for binge drinking and drunk driving than testosterone and Grand Theft Auto put together?

Well apparently, in the wake of three poisoned freshmen at Pike, the Hanover Police do. After an intense meeting with Greek organization leaders and other concerned Dartmouthians, the fuzz has just announced that they will begin “sting operations,” as part of an ongoing campaign to stamp out illegal alcohol consumption on campus. How? Espionage. Really:

As part of the compliance checks, Hanover Police plans to send non-police operatives posing as underage individuals into Greek organizations’ physical plants during parties to see if they are able to procure alcohol, he said. Hanover Police could then use the information as cause to arrest individuals or bring further legal action against Greek organizations.

Essentially, that cutie you were trying to bed at the PhiDelt-post-renovation-party could turn out to be a glock-packing snitch; rather than buzzed and laid, you’ll end up in a 5-by-5 cell. Repercussions of the new Mission-Impossible infiltration scheme will be even harsher for the frats themselves. 100 G’s harsher:

Greek organizations can be tried as corporations, and can be charged with reckless conduct, a felony-level fine, for providing alcohol to those underage…With evidence that Greek organizations are supplying underage individuals with alcohol, the organization can be fined from $2,000 for a misdemeanor to $100,000 for a felony.

Naturally, this new police policy is incredibly stupid. Even more naturally, the Dartmouth campus is in uproar, with students, alumni, and faculty alike protesting in droves. John Alekna ‘10, president of the recently immolated Phi Delt, hits the nail on the head:

This will drive drinking underground.

Alumni Joe Asch ‘79 is the coolest 52-year-old we know:

How does this help kids deal with over-consumption? This will make kids hide, they’re not going to stop.

The Hanover Police playing spy novel in an errant attempt to suck all the remaining life out of Dartmouth’s campus: irresponsible and counterproductive to be sure. But unexpected? Nah. Dartmouth already leads the League in unnecessary alcohol-related arrests:

“To protect and serve,” eh?

Read on after the jump for the full text of the police email, details from the portentous meeting, and implications for the Dartmouth social scene.

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