ADAM BAKER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Prosecuting Attorney Allen Merritt sits beside City Councilwoman Kathleen Dunbar as he speaks in favor of strict penalties for underage drinking violations at the forum for student drinking yesterday.

Students banded together to show their displeasure with law enforcement tactics and motivations at the underage drinking forum last night.

The forum, organized by Republican City Councilwoman Kathleen Dunbar, addressed issues relating to neighborhood relations and community standards, but students in attendance were most vocal about their thoughts on recent police attempts to quell underage drinking.

"You think the guy whose fake ID you took this past weekend is not going to drink this weekend?" said ASUA Senator Kartikeya Kejriwal. "He's probably going to drink more because of it."

Kejriwal was one of two students who said the problems caused by underage drinking are based in American cultural norms.

He said the crackdown on underage drinking will not sway students from finding their way to alcohol.

"Enforcement is not going to stop the drinking," he said.

Much of the student frustration was directed at Capt. John Leavitt of the Tucson Police Department.

Leavitt, a vocal supporter of stopping underage drinking, got into a number of exchanges with students questioning police tactics.

Still, he said he understands their frustrations and believes that they will eventually see his.

"I'm taking shots from people who will grow out of it," he said. "Look, I understand where they're coming from. I was a student once too. But the issue is that people are being raped, beaten and killed."

Dunbar received a measure of criticism from Daniel Latin, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity alumni board president.

Although he is not in favor of underage drinking, he called into question potential civil rights violations.

"I think you are walking a fine line, possibly violating people's civil rights while attempting to get your point across," he said.

He added that fraternity houses are in unfair situations when surrounded by residential homes in the Jefferson Park neighborhood just north of campus.

"We will at all times have at least six people on the premises," he said. "We are going to have a lot of cars parked out in front because our structure was built for 60 people."

There were some students that applauded the efforts of the police, however.

"I guess you are stopping the problem before it turns into a bigger one," one student said about the recent crackdowns.

Dunbar said the forum went as well as could be expected, but was happy to see a few students appreciate the efforts of the police to stop underage drinking and her efforts to improve neighborhood relations.

"I think we saw a lot of mixed messages coming from the students," she said. "If you are not that neighbor throwing loud parties and leaving litter in other people's yards, you're not going to have the police knocking on your door."

One student said he feels that the police are the biggest problem and are responsible for driving a wedge between students and neighbors.

"I think that TPD is the only stumbling block in all of this," said Bill Stack, an interdisciplinary junior. "They're just going after us and not helping us."

UAPD Chief Anthony Daykin, Alan Merritt from the City Prosecutor's office and City Court judge Margarita Burnel also addressed the forum, each giving their opinions on the issue.

Each member of the panel stressed the fact that law enforcement officials, whether through underage party busts or red tag violations, are just following the law.

"If you are under 21 years old and you are drinking alcohol, you are violating the law," Dunbar said. "It is zero tolerance."