FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Fairhope police have released more details about a juvenile party, attended by an estimated 100 young people, that officers broke up Saturday, Aug. 25.
Cars led officers to party
According to a statement from Sgt. Craig Sawyer, assistant administrator of the Fairhope Police Department, officers at about 9:45 p.m. found numerous cars parked along County Road 13 that were creating a hazard. Checking further, they discovered a party at a residence in the 16000 block of County Road 13.
According to the police report, an estimated 100 juveniles were at the residence, and many ran when police arrived. Officers found alcohol and detained about 40 to 50 juveniles, some of whom had been drinking.
Parents called
Because of the number of juveniles detained, officers identified them and called their parents to pick them up instead of taking them to the police department. Sawyer said bringing that many juveniles in would have tied up every available police resource in Fairhope for several hours on a Saturday night.
Interim Police Chief Lt. Hollinghead said the names of the juveniles who had been drinking were documented and that officers will work with the juvenile court to determine appropriate charges. Sawyer said the report made no mention of marijuana.
Police said they cannot release the names of the juveniles or their parents. The department also declined to identify the property owner, saying that doing so would identify at least one juvenile, which its media relations policy prohibits.
No adults charged
No adults were present when officers arrived, though parents came when called, Sawyer said. No adults were charged, and Sawyer said he does not expect any to be. He said Alabama’s open house party law requires that an adult both authorized the party and was present, and neither element was met.
