Davidson College Police Force Subject Of Supreme Court Case

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A case before the North Carolina Supreme Court may come down to whether Davidson College is a religious institution. The court heard arguments Tuesday on whether the school should be allowed to have its own police force with officers who can make arrests and enforce state laws. Allen Brotherton represents a woman who was arrested for driving while impaired near the school in 2006. Brotherton says since Davidson is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, having a police force violates the First Amendment. Assistant Attorney General Amy Kunstling Irene says the church has no direct control over the college. The state is appealing a lower court's ruling in favor of Brotherton's client. State law allows police at private colleges to be certified by the Attorney General's Office.