Spring Break
Weekend fines close to $30k
Large busts not uncommon in other Wisconsin cities
DJ Slater
Issue date: 9/22/05 Section: Campus News
The Eau Claire Police Department cited more than 111 UW-Eau Claire students for underage drinking during the weekend, with overall ticket fines reaching close to $30,000.
Exact figures have not yet been determined, said Community Relations Officer Jack Corey, but the bulk of those citations came from two house parties at 833 Chippewa St. and 604 Niagara St.
According to police reports, the Eau Claire Police Department issued 80 citations and one criminal arrest for resisting an officer at 833 Chippewa St., as well as cited 31 people at 604 Niagara St.
"Obviously, our goal is to get the party to stop and take care of the host," said Brad Venaas, the deputy chief of patrol. "It's illegal behavior, and it's unsafe behavior, and it's certainly been a big community issue."
Most of the renters - except those not around for the parties - received two citations each, one for selling alcohol without a license and the other for providing alcohol to minors. Each citation cost $435.
Both house parties were discovered by an undercover police officer dressed in normal college clothes. The officers at both parties each bought a cup and called for other officers to surround
the area.
"They secured all the exits, and then the undercover cop came down and revealed himself," said junior and 833 Chippewa St. resident Tony Hyland. "Normally cops tell people to leave, but this time, they locked it down."
The residents of 604 Niagara all declined to comment on the details of their house party.
House party busts of this nature, while not as common in Eau Claire, have occurred across the state. On Jan. 29, seven UW-Madison students received about 154 tickets after Madison police raided their house party because of noise complaints, according to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal.
The tickets, which were for various offenses such as selling alcohol without a permit, serving alcohol to minors and for underage drinking, totaled $73,500.
Exact figures have not yet been determined, said Community Relations Officer Jack Corey, but the bulk of those citations came from two house parties at 833 Chippewa St. and 604 Niagara St.
According to police reports, the Eau Claire Police Department issued 80 citations and one criminal arrest for resisting an officer at 833 Chippewa St., as well as cited 31 people at 604 Niagara St.
"Obviously, our goal is to get the party to stop and take care of the host," said Brad Venaas, the deputy chief of patrol. "It's illegal behavior, and it's unsafe behavior, and it's certainly been a big community issue."
Most of the renters - except those not around for the parties - received two citations each, one for selling alcohol without a license and the other for providing alcohol to minors. Each citation cost $435.
Both house parties were discovered by an undercover police officer dressed in normal college clothes. The officers at both parties each bought a cup and called for other officers to surround
the area.
"They secured all the exits, and then the undercover cop came down and revealed himself," said junior and 833 Chippewa St. resident Tony Hyland. "Normally cops tell people to leave, but this time, they locked it down."
The residents of 604 Niagara all declined to comment on the details of their house party.
House party busts of this nature, while not as common in Eau Claire, have occurred across the state. On Jan. 29, seven UW-Madison students received about 154 tickets after Madison police raided their house party because of noise complaints, according to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal.
The tickets, which were for various offenses such as selling alcohol without a permit, serving alcohol to minors and for underage drinking, totaled $73,500.