Safe Party Information and Registration
- How to plan and hold a party for young people
- Information for party hosts
- How to register your party
- Police Assistance
How to plan and hold a party for young people
This Safe Party Kit contains tips for holding successful, enjoyable and safe parties for parents, hosts and guests.
Family functions can be ruined with hosts and invited guests being assaulted and property damaged or stolen. The problem of gatecrashers has become a concern for police and has led to the development of this kit. Please consider the advice given in this information kit so that you can take control of your party.
Complete the attached registration form (14 kB [pdf]) and return it to your local police station.
Information for party hosts
- Parental supervision, or the presence of other responsible adults, will help keep trouble to a minimum.
- Make your "No Illegal Drugs" position clear. Remember you have a duty of care and may be deemed liable if alcohol and other drugs are consumed at your function and an incident occurs.
- There is some risk of legal liability attached to the provision of alcohol to party guests in unlicensed parties. As yet no one in Australia had been successfully sued for negligence at a social function resulting from excessive or irresponsible alcohol provision. However, there are several cases currently waiting to be heard and at least two cases have been settled out of court for large sums of money.
- Encourage attendance by written invitation only. Discourage the 'open house' impression.
- Personally hand out invitations and discourage people from bringing extra friends - that way there will only be people you want to know and want at the party.
- Ensure you invitation has a definite start and finish time.
- Advise neighbours in advance of the forthcoming function. This can be done in writing or in person.
- If the party is to be held in a public or sporting facility, visit the location beforehand and inspect it. Identify how guests are to get in and out of the facility. It is wise to allow only one entrance and exit point to the function.
- Discourage BYO alcohol, as this will enable you to have greater control over distribution and consumption. If you do decide to allow guests to bring their own alcohol, avoid providing containers that can be 'spiked' or used to disguise the volume of alcohol being consumed.
- Allocate a person who is solely responsible for the serving of alcohol. This enables the server to monitor the behaviour of guests and the levels of consumption and intoxication.
- Ensure that food is available during the party and provide non-alcoholic and low alcoholic alternatives.
- Plan what should be done if a guest becomes sick or intoxicated.
- Have a quiet place for people to slow down, recover or chill out.
- If a guest passes out or needs help, don't hesitate, call 000 for an ambulance.
- Noise is the most common reason police are called to a party. Locate bands and speaker systems as far away from neighbours as possible. Remember it is unlawful to emit unreasonable noise levels from residential premises at any time.
- If trouble does arise, keep calm, be verbally assertive to gain control of the situation.
- Consider hiring licensed Crowd Control personnel.
- Encourage parents to pick up their children at the end of the party. This will assist in reducing / minimising disruption to neighbours in terms of potential property damaged and noise levels.
How to register your party
Fill in the party details on the enclosed Safe Party Registration Form (14 kB, PDF document).
You can forward the form to your local police by post, fax or in person.
Glen Waverley Police Station
643 Ferntree Gully Road, Glen Waverley 3150
Ph. 9566 1555, Fax. 9561 3039
Mount Waverley Police Station
338 Stephenson Road, Mount Waverley 3149
Ph. 9888 3755, Fax. 9888 1370
Clayton Police Station
263 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168
Ph. 9543 3888, Fax. 9543 5403
Oakleigh Police Station
1 Atherton Street, Oakleigh 3166
Ph. 9567 8900, Fax. 9563 1731
Police Assistance
Police will endeavour to:- Acknowledge your function
- Where prioritised operational commitments permit, undertake to patrol the vicinity of your nominated venue without being obtrusive
- Where prioritised operational commitments permit, respond to calls for assistance
- Inform you of any concerns regarding the conduct of your party, in the first instance by phone
Should you have any further questions or seek further advice please do not hesitate to contact your Crime Prevention Officer on 9871 4112 or your local police station.Updated: 12 April 2006
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