Written by Abby Kellett
They meet at a log cabin in the country on Wednesday nights to worship the Lord, carol to Harding’s campus to spread Christmas cheer just before holiday break and are now the first club in Harding’s history to have a function busted by the Searcy police.
The function, however, was nothing close to a rave or barn keg party. No drugs or alcohol were present at the function, and no one was scandalously clad with attire inappropriate for Harding.
No suits or formal dresses of any kind were seen, for they had been replaced by comfortable athletic gear of only one color: black. Instead of high heels the dates wore running shoes. Blush was traded for war paint, curls for ponytails and bandanas. Little did the Chi Sigs’ dates know they were in for the function of their lives.
The Chi Sigma Alpha function Nov. 7 contained two groups of attendees that made for the perfect storm of Searcy police: cops and robbers. The game and theme of the function, “Cops and Robbers,” is a variation of the childhood pastime hide-and-seek.
The groups of robbers are given locations, and they must get to the location without being spotted in any way by the “cops.” Some of the function’s locations included the Reynolds building, First Security Stadium, Mi Pueblito, the pharmacy building, Kroger, McDonald’s and the First Assembly of God.
Traditionally, once the game begins, the cops take off in their cars on the hunt for the robbers. If the robbers are spotted and identified, they have lost the game and their mission was a failure.
Walking into the science building with her date, Elisa Hester described the atmosphere as extremely energetic and intense.
“I thought, ‘This is so exciting, and it’s going to be a lot of fun’ because we got to black out and hide in bushes,” Hester said. “I was just ready to run.”
The evening started innocently enough with a pizza party, queen entertainment based on the theme show “Cops” and even a devotional. It was when the games began at about 9 o’clock that things took a turn.
“We’re in the middle of the function, and I get the call from one of my fellow cops in the game,” activities director Drew McCannless said. “The caller said that the actual Searcy police department had stopped one of our groups. So here I am, first time ever planning a function, and it’s ruined.”
The Chi Sig who called McCannless failed to mention that it was not one, but four cop cars that had not stopped but completely surrounded a group of “robbers” blocking them in and allowing no path or hope for escape.
“When I heard about it, I was scared for the group that was out there,” Hester said. “But then I thought it was ironic because we were playing cops and robbers, and then the real cops became involved.”
When being questioned, McCannless began to painstakingly relive every detail leading up to the fatal moment of the function’s end.
“You know, it’s really funny because the night before our function when we were getting final preparations done, the president of our club was in our room and said, ‘Did it ever occur to anyone that the actual police might end our game?'” McCannless said.”Both me and the vice president were like ‘No, I mean it might happen, but what are the chances?’ Obviously, pretty high.”
When hearing of a function being busted by the cops, most students do not automatically think of Chi Sigs.
“They don’t ever get in trouble for anything,” Hester . “They’re all the nice guys and the club that just isn’t known for getting into trouble. They just don’t. Especially by the cops.”
Whether they are known for it or not, Chi Sigma Alpha is officially on record with the Searcy police department.
No charges were filed because the robbers had not actually stolen anything, nor had they committed any sort of crime.
McCannless gave a piece of very grave advice to future function planners:
“To any activity directors or any clubs, I would most assuredly tell you to significantly plan and possibly prepare for the invasion of cops because they are pretty much a killjoy, and you just never know.”
