(U-WIRE) AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas Police Department's policy of allowing undercover officers to secretly attend student organization meetings raises suspicions and concerns among some students on campus.

"I think it sends a real message of intimidation to students," said Warren Craig, president of the Campus Coalition for Peace and Justice. Craig said he believes UTPD attended a CCPJ meeting.

The UTPD policy on campus surveillance states that undercover officers can attend meetings open to the public if they have evidence that the organization is planning an event that will be "deliberately disruptive or will engage in illegal acts."

"We're not here to monitor the issues, we're here to monitor the safety and security of the campus," said UTPD Chief Jeffrey Van Slyke. "We don't want to dissuade people from free speech."

The UTPD usually gets all necessary information on events from the office of the dean of students, Van Slyke said.

The campus and community involvement department within the office of the dean of students requires student organizations to provide basic information when planning events, including a brief description of the topic.

If a topic is controversial, the office will notify UTPD that increased police presence may be necessary in case there is a counter protest, said Cheryl Wood, associate director of campus and community involvement.

The number of events the office refers to UTPD varies each semester, she said.

"It just depends on what the topics are and where there's safety concerns," Wood said.

Wood said abortion is an example of a controversial issue that the dean of students office may refer to UTPD.

In February 2001, a UTPD officer attended a meeting of abortion rights protesters planning to demonstrate against the anti-abortion Justice for All exhibit. The police report did not specify whether the officer was undercover.

When UTPD needs more information than is referred by the dean of students, it will search an organization's Web site before attending meetings. UTPD has attended only three meetings since 1999, Van Slyke said. Records of those instances are confidential.

—Angela Grant