Davidson College, a small private Presbyterian school in North Carolina, can’t have police officers with the power to arrest suspects and enforce state law — because of its religious affiliation, the state Court of Appeals ruled yesterday. From the Associated Press story:

Allowing the school’s security officers to carry out laws on behalf of the state violates the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against laws establishing religion by creating “an excessive government entanglement with religion,” Judge Jim Wynn wrote in the unanimous opinion.

The Greenboro News & Record reveals that this stems from a dispute over a student’s drunk driving arrest. Interesting.

No word yet on how this will impact other private colleges with religious affiliations, including Duke University, which has ties to the United Methodist Church. Check out Religion Clause blog for more of the legal details.

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