Reality Show Crews Harass Students

Five students said they were harassed by Conway police officers and members of the television film crew following them. The students reported the incidents to the Student Government Association at its meeting Monday night.

The Conway Police Department has confirmed that it has a contract with the cable television network G4 to allow the network's film crews to ride with the Conway police officers and film their encounters. G4 produces a reality television program called "Campus PD" that focuses on college campuses. The UCAPD said it is not affiliated with the program.

Students reported two separate incidents that they described as harassment.

Two women said they were at a house near campus when a Conway police officer arrived and began questioning them. The members of the camera crew accompanying the officer "harassed" the women and offered them money to sign waivers to allow the film company to use the footage on the show. Several members of the crew asked the women to perform a lewd act in front of the camera, they said.

In a separate incident, three students - two women and man - said they were walking near campus when two cars of Conway police officers stopped them and asked them questions while the television crews recorded it. Like the others, they were pressured to sign waivers to allow the network to use the footage on the show.

One SGA senator expressed concern about the incidents and said SGA should inform students about the film crews. The senator said she expects the film crews to be in Conway for at least another week.

"Campus PD" debuted on G4 last December with footage from five cities - Cincinnati, Tallahassee, Fla., San Marcos, Texas, Chico, Calif. and Greenville, S.C. The network plans to introduce its second season of the show in September. Those plans apparently include Conway and UCA.

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