An instructor at TVI who said he was merely conducting research at UNM said he is outraged with the treatment he received from the UNM Police Department.
Greg Ozimek, an economics instructor at TVI, said he was harassed and questioned by two UNM police officers at his home last month after he sought information through a Public Information Request Form about the number of international students in Graduate Assistant positions at UNM.
"They completely abused their power," Ozimek said.
Ozimek also said he was curious as to how the police found his address and why they deemed it necessary to ask him personal questions about his life, job and research.
"Why did they have to come over here?" he said.
Ozimek said about 20 minutes before the police showed up at his apartment, he received a phone call of which no one was on the line.
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"I think it was (the police) calling to make sure that someone was home," he said.
UNM Police Department Cmdr. James Daniels said the police were sent to Ozimek's home in response to complaints from faculty members who said Ozimek was harassing them while conducting his research.
"We wanted to make sure that everything was OK," Daniels said. "A lot of people felt intimidated by him."
Ozimek said he didn't think he was harassing or intimidating anybody.
"You wouldn't believe the run-around they gave me down there," he said.
According to a police report, Ozimek visited different campus offices on several different occasions, making some staff members uncomfortable.
Ozimek said he meant no harm in visiting different offices and never threatened anyone. Ozimek also said the reason for a visit to different offices was because people misdirected him all around campus.
"They would tell me to go north when I should have gone south," he said.
Ozimek also said the police officers questioned him about a visit to President Caldera's office on Feb. 9.
"They asked me if I had some sort of a problem with the president," Ozimek said.
He said he went to the president's office, but only to complain about a loose board that struck his arm in Johnson Center.
"It's funny that the president's door says 'come on in,'" he said.
Ozimek said he has considered calling the American Civil Liberties Union to discuss the mistreatment he received from UNM officials who should have been doing their job.
As for the case, Daniels said it is now closed.
