Too much noise could attract unexpected party guests

Robert H. Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat Roommates Dave Ames, Matt Alba, Sam Morrison and Scot Zajicek say they frequently deal with the police when they have parties that get out of hand. Any party that disturbs the peace will be visited by the police because of Tucson's 24-hour noise ordinance.

It occurs often for the hosts of these types of parties, which is why there are facts one should take into consideration before deciding to throw a bash.

The number one reason for police responding to a party is noise, said Jerry Cota-Robes, Tucson Police Department criminal intelligence officer. He said usually a neighbor is disturbed by the party and police respond to quiet it down.

There is a 24-hour noise ordinance in Tucson which prohibits the disturbance of the peace at any time, Cota-Robes said.

If the complainant is willing to press charges, police will arrest or cite the owner or residents of the party site, he said.

David Ames, history junior, said, "Pretty much everywhere I go, I've had to deal with (the police)," referring to the parties he has attended.

Ames said he has been lucky so far to have not been arrested or cited when having a party at his house in the Sam Hughes neighborhood east of campus. He shares the house with two roommates.

Katharine Weiss, pre-nursing sophomore, said, "I've seen a lot of parties get busted up, but I've never seen anyone get arrested."

Weiss said she was unaware of the noise ordinance, but thought too many people making too much noise is what makes the police show up.

"(The police) have to understand that this is a college town," Ames said. "If people are living near the 'U,' what do they expect?"

Both TPD and the University of Arizona Police Department have combined forces on foot patrol in an effort to control house and apartment parties. Harry Hueston, UAPD deputy chief, said the pilot program is being expanded and runs Wednesday through Saturda y nights.

Another way the police can control noisy parties is with a public nuisance sticker. This is placed on a residence where officers believe a substantial disturbance of at least five people has occurred, Cota-Robes said.

The sticker must be left up for 60 days, and it is illegal to deface it. If police must return to the residence within those 60 days, the owner or residents will be cited for disturbance of the peace.

Cota-Robes also said many people will charge a fee to get into the party and drink, which is illegal without a liquor license.

"Students used to pay their rent that way," he said.

In campus residence halls, the biggest problem is not parties, but students returning to their rooms from parties, Hueston said.

"It's dealing with students who are sick from drinking," he said.

Hueston said the resident assistants must often take care of drunken students who have been binge drinking and are throwing up or passed out. He said binge drinking is defined as having five or more beers in one night.

Another program the UAPD participates in is "party patrol." A special group of officers is grouped for this patrol, which supervises scheduled fraternity parties throughout the year.

The two busiest nights for "party patrol" are on bid nights and Homecoming, Hueston said. He said Halloween is also an active night for the patrol.

The party patrol arrested about six people on liquor-related charges the night of Jan. 31, spring semester's bid night, said Lt. Brian Seastone, a UAPD spokesman. He said this number is down from the usual 15 to 25 people who are arrested.

"People are understanding that we are out there in force," Seastone said.

Hueston said students are either becoming more educated on the dangers of drinking or are taking more precautions to not get caught.

"I have no reason to believe students are drinking less," he said.