Many students who are Mifflin residents signed a protection plan with police at the last Mifflin Street Block Party information meeting Wednesday.
Students have the option of signing a House Party Protection Plan this year, which lets residents call the police to control their party without fear of being cited. Residents will also receive a ‘No Trespassing’ sign to deter unwanted guests.
“It’s comforting to know if anything were to get out of hand at the party that we would be able to bring an officer in,” UW-Madison senior and Mifflin resident Sam Christian said.
As long as the party is legal, police will only remove unwelcome troublemakers and will not issue tickets, according to McCaw. A legal house party cannot have any underage drinking, amplified music or excessively overcrowded houses.
Madison Police Department Lt. Dave McCaw said the agreement does not give residents clearance to host wild parties.
“It’s not like you’re a superhero, and nothing can happen to you,” McCaw said.
If there is blatant illegal activity such as drugs in public view or an underage student passed out drunk, police will issue citations.
Christian’s roommate Jake Olson, a UW-Madison senior, is still concerned police will target his house party.
“I’m still slightly worried that [police] might go out of the way to make things hard for you,” Olson said.
For students who are not over 21-years-old, but find their house party escalates to an out-of-control level on May 5, McCaw said they should still call police under an amnesty program.
Essentially, officers will act as the “bad guys” and clear out the party, according to McCaw. Residents are expected to end all party activities.
McCaw said officers’ main goals are to clear the house of all party attendants and not to issue citations, but they will if there are obvious violations.
Police also warned students that officers will be strictly enforcing rules at the Mifflin Street Block Party because of the size and the abundance of alcohol.
“Don’t expect anything that happens to be taken with a warning or to be taken lightly,” Sgt. Tony Fiore said. “In our experience downtown, warnings just don’t work anymore.”
