Weekend fines close to $30k
Large busts not uncommon in other Wisconsin cities
DJ Slater
Issue date: 9/22/05 Section: Campus News
Madison police officer Mike Hanson said usually when police bust a large house party and issue heavy fines, they don't have any trouble with that house for the rest of the school year.
"(The violators) have that fine amount hanging over their head for the rest of the semester," Hanson said. "Enforcement combined with education are the best tools to combat this."
Venaas and Miller agreed that police staffing on the weekends is the major factor that allows them to stop house parties and issue citations at an increased level. As long as the police are well staffed, Venaas said, these types of busts could be more common. The Eau Claire Police Department has 99 sworn officers.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to do it more often," he said. "We just have to work with what we have."
While enforcement will play an important role in reducing high-risk drinking, other changes need to occur for it to be effective, such as an environmental change, said Jodi Thesing-Ritter, associate dean of Student Development and Diversity.
"Due to the recent number of deaths in the river ... I think our community wants both high school and college students to be safe," she said. "The environment needs to change."
Junior and 833 Chippewa St. resident Nick Johnson said this type of enforcement not only will prevent parties at his house, but will severely impact Eau Claire's party scene.
"It's going to die off a lot," he said. "If there's (a) party like this getting busted every single weekend, people are going to just stop taking the risk."
"(The violators) have that fine amount hanging over their head for the rest of the semester," Hanson said. "Enforcement combined with education are the best tools to combat this."
Venaas and Miller agreed that police staffing on the weekends is the major factor that allows them to stop house parties and issue citations at an increased level. As long as the police are well staffed, Venaas said, these types of busts could be more common. The Eau Claire Police Department has 99 sworn officers.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to do it more often," he said. "We just have to work with what we have."
While enforcement will play an important role in reducing high-risk drinking, other changes need to occur for it to be effective, such as an environmental change, said Jodi Thesing-Ritter, associate dean of Student Development and Diversity.
"Due to the recent number of deaths in the river ... I think our community wants both high school and college students to be safe," she said. "The environment needs to change."
Junior and 833 Chippewa St. resident Nick Johnson said this type of enforcement not only will prevent parties at his house, but will severely impact Eau Claire's party scene.
"It's going to die off a lot," he said. "If there's (a) party like this getting busted every single weekend, people are going to just stop taking the risk."