One topic was the most recurring at the Student-Police Relations Task Force meeting Thursday - the video-taping of tailgaters by the police.

Members of the greek community and others expressed concerns about the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety videotaping tailgaters before football games at locations across campus this semester.

“At tailgating, there is just a tragedy waiting to happen,” MSU police Chief Bruce Benson said.

The task force was appointed after an independent investigation into the placement of an undercover officer into United Students Against Sweatshops, now Students for Economic Justice, beginning Feb. 19, 2000.

Benson said the main reason the filming occurs is to assess situations police have received complaints about, like trash disposal.

Matt Clayson, ASMSU Academic Assembly chairperson, was among the students who questioned the presence of video cameras during tailgating. The undergraduate student government representative said officers gave different explanations.

“Police officers should know what they’re doing and why they’re doing it,” Clayson said. “This infuriates me - the lack of communication in the system.”

Another topic of discussion at the meeting was the recent drowning death of Eric Blair, an 18-year-old Delta College student from Bay City. whose body was pulled from the Red Cedar River last week. Benson said Blair had a high amount of alcohol in his system.

MSU police Officer Mike Aguilera, said he does what he can to keep people safe on campus, which may include writing a ticket for underage drinking, he said.

“I take that very seriously,” he said. “One death is too many. This is something I believe in.”

MSU President M. Peter McPherson, who is chairman of the task force, said the team made progress at Thursday’s meeting.

“We were talking well together and this is something that will take a lot of time, but it is going ahead,” he said.