Police Keeping an Eye on Graduation Parties this Year

Bath, Copley, Fairlawn and Richfield police are asking parents to register their seniors' graduation parties with their local department.

Police officers will swing by each party to make sure the teens are safe and are not drinking.

Bath Police Chief Michael McNeely said Bath had a similar operation about a decade ago, and is reviving it this year in hopes of preventing alcohol-related crashes.

"One of our major efforts this year is to address underage drinking," McNeely said.

He said the effort was spurred, in part, by two serious crashes in 2012 involving teens who had been drinking.

If a party is registered, "We will pay a visit," McNeely said, checking for parking hazards and other safety concerns, and especially to see if alcohol is being served.

"We thought this would be a good strategy to address underage drinking at graduation parties," he said.

Events taking place in Bath may be registered online at www.bathtownship.org by following the link to the police department page.   

In Fairlawn, call 330-670-4300 or 330-666-8871.

For Copley, call the police administration office at 330-666-4218 and in Richfield, contact Lt. Joe Davis or Detective Amy Ellis at 330-659-9500. 

McNeely said police are reminding parents it is illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 -- except their own child -- and to knowingly allow minors to drink on their property.

Bath Police offer some other tips for parties on their website, including parking on only one side of the street to allow emergency vehicles to get through.

If your event is near a business with an open parking lot, you must have the property owner’s permission to use their lot -- and the owner should contact police so they know parking is allowed. 

Every party should have adult supervision. The curfew for juveniles in Bath Township is 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day.

And Summit County's noise ordinance says nighttime quiet hours are from 9 p.m to 7 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends. Police ask partiers to trn down the music after 9 p.m.

Additional information can be found at www.bathtownship.org, www.copley.oh.us, www.cityoffairlawn.com and www.richfieldvillageohio.org.