A Guide to Safe
& Responsible Parties
PARTY CHECKLIST
Before the Party
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Talk to your neighbors. The most common reason police come to a party
is complaints about noise and disorderly conduct.
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Let your neighbors know when you
plan to end the party—make it a reasonable hour.
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Purchase food and non-alcoholic
drinks—not everyone wants to drink alcohol.
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Make sure one of the hosts will
stay sober to handle problems that might come up.
During the
Party
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Keep the noise level down—keep
the windows and doors closed, if possible.
Avoid partying outside after
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Keep the size reasonable—if the
party spills outside, there is a
better chance a complaint will be made.
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Know your guests—don’t open your
party to people you don’t know. What to
say to uninvited guests: “you’re not on the list,” “the police were just here,”
“the party is ending soon,” “the alcohol is gone.”
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If uninvited guests won’t leave,
call the police for help.
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Consume alcohol responsibly—don’t
give guests more alcohol
when they’ve had enough.
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If the police show up, go talk to
them—be polite, honest, and do what they say.
After the Party
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Don’t let guests drink and drive
or get into a car with a drunk driver—call a sober friend or safe ride (
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Don’t let guests leave alone.
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Remind guests to be considerate
of your neighbors when leaving.
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Clean up any trash on your
property and your neighbors’ ASAP.
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Check with your neighbors the
next day to see if they had any problems.
Prevent alcohol poisoning…drink
responsibly
§ Eat before you drink…don’t drink
on an empty stomach.
§ Know what is in your drink and do
not leave it unattended.
§ Reduce the amount you drink—3 to
4 per occasion.
§ Pace yourself—don’t drink too
much too fast (1drink per hour).
§ Do not combine alcohol with other
drugs.
§ NEVER continue drinking after you
have thrown up.
Know
the symptoms of alcohol poisoning
§ Person is unconscious,
semi-conscious, or cannot be awakened.
§ Cold, clammy, pale, or bluish
skin.
§ Breathing is slow or
irregular—less than 10-12 times/minute or 10 seconds or more between breaths.
§ Excessive vomiting while awake,
sleeping, or passed out.
§ CALL 911 if you are unsure of what to do!!
Possible fines for party
hosts and guests
Noise violation
$100 to $1000 fine and/or
imprisonment for 6 months to 1 year
Purchasing or providing alcohol to a minor
$200
to $1000 fine and maybe 30 to 60 days imprisonment
Entering a liquor store under the age of 21
$200
to $1000 fine and maybe 30 to 60 days imprisonment
Disorderly premise
Fines
from $100 to $500 and a letter to your landlord
Selling alcohol without a license
Mandatory
3 to 6 months in prison
Underage consumption or possession of alcohol
$200
to $500 fine and 30 to 180-day driver’s license revocation
Open container of alcohol on public property
$50
minimum fine, regardless of age
False Identification
Fines
from $250 to $500 and maybe up to 10 days imprisonment
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF YOUR GUESTS.
YOUR LANDLORD MAY HAVE A POLICY FOR PARTIES WHICH MAY INCLUDE
FINES AND/OR EVICTION IF THE POLICE ARE CALLED.
KNOW YOUR LEASE AGREEMENT!
This checklist is sponsored by the