Orli Ben-Dor

Remember Officer Friendly? In case your elementary school didn't participate in that program, let me explain. Officer Friendly was a police man or woman who would stand tall and proud in his/her blue uniform, towering over a second-grade class that deferentially gazed at this noble giant, granting the officer near-celebrity status. Officer Friendly warned us of the dangers in taking candy from strangers and the perils of jaywalking.

Despite monthly visits from Officer Friendly back in our childhood days, it seems in college we will accept drinks bought for us from a nameless bar crush and run around University Boulevard with the mantra, "Pedestrians always have the right of way," much to the chagrin of motorists. While we still gaze deferentially at officers, admiring their bravery and commitment to protecting us in this increasingly uncertain sociopolitical moment, for the most part, times have changed. In fact, times have changed so much since we were kids that instead of being ashamed or embarrassed by having the police raid your house, it has become some sort of college student's rite of passage.

What's the deal with the red tag? Everyone has one these days ÷ even the Subway at Park and Speedway got tagged. It's like the hot accessory for campus homes. But seriously folks, that fluorescent orange paper posted on doors and windows signals to the police that should they encounter any future "problems" at that residence (where "problems" probably means kids being kids on a Friday night), everyone present would face hefty consequences. But to passersby, the red tag simply signals "party house" or "fun times found here." My neighbors' door boasts a red tag, and I would go so far as to say that they proudly display it, like a hard-earned trophy standing tall on a mantel.

The night they got it, a few months ago, a couple of people turned into a small get-together that turned into a little party. Problem? It was a weeknight, it got a teensy bit loud and when the cops came, they weren't greeted with open arms. The partygoers got tagged. Still, the house has been anything but silent. In fact, clear your calendars because the day the red tag comes off, May 10th, my neighbors are throwing a huge toga party to celebrate. (Note: Location not to be disclosed in a high-circulation newspaper, to avoid repeat performance of said red tag, though it may happen anyway.) It's as if the red tag served no purpose except as an excuse to throw a party ÷ and of course to induct them as official UA students!

But to earn the status of a true UA student, I wouldn't say one has to go quite as far as getting red-tagged. Simple visits and near misses can be just as exciting. A friend had a Valentine's Day party andwhen I asked her how it was, she replied, "It ended up being a good party · the police came and everything!" If you can't tell by the exclamation point, she sounded more proud than mad. The more cop cars, the more raging the party. Our nicknames for the police show how we've stripped them of their fear factor: the ghetto bird, coppers and po-po, to name a few.

I too, can say I have earned my status as a true college student. Over winter break, apparently the Trivial Pursuit game and midnight swim at my place a la Polar Bear Club was too loud and crazy for the campus neighborhood. While we were shining a flashlight in the pool to find a lost pair of glasses, a mysterious second, extra-bright flashlight started shining on us. Two officers showed up, and my friends and I quieted down in disbelief that board games and (almost) skinny-dipping disturbed the neighborhood. Were the cops just bored? Either way, we escaped with a warning and managed to give the officers a laugh.

Now that I've had my obligatory police visit, I can graduate with no qualms (except that I should probably apply to grad school instead of trying to first land a job in this tough economy). With two semesters still left in my college career, all I can hope is that I'll have many more near-misses than red tags and that, if I am paid a visit by the police, the officer will be one Officer Friendly.