Party Patrol Busts Underage Party on Lake Bonney

The Party Patrol, a multi-jurisdiction unit that includes police from Bonney Lake and Sumner, arrested 27 minors at a party April 16 on Lake Bonney.

Over the past few weeks, the Party Patrol has shut down three underage parties in Bonney Lake, Tacoma and the Key Peninsula, and it has cited 50 people with minor in possession, DUI or providing a home for a party. Most of those arrested were 18 years or younger.

“Arresting a kid for breaking underage drinking laws is important []," Puyallup Police Sgt. Bob Thompson said, "but putting good resources into the hands of kids and their parents to prevent risky choices is more important. It's why we keep doing these patrols."

Although police aren’t specifying where and when, 19 Party Patrol interventions will take place between now and the beginning of next year. The Party Patrol is made up of 14 local law enforcement agencies, funded by grants through multiple state social service agencies, including the Tacoma-Pierce County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force.

At the Bonney Lake party on April 16, the Party Patrol found hundreds of beer cans and liquor bottles, bags of marijuana and multiple smoking devices at a home on the 18000 block of 74th Street East. There were approximately 50 people at the party and most were younger than 18.

Police recovered 46.6 grams of marijuana from the premises.

The Party Patrol found the party after they observed multiple unoccupied, parked vehicles at the boat launch of Lake Bonney and the park down the street. The officers believed that to be unusual for the residential area. Many of the cars had Bonney Lake High School parking lot permits, so police suspected an underage party.

Before approaching the party, police conducted surveillance outside and witnessed multiple people, approximately 17 to 19 years old, drinking out of cans and witnessed a few young men urinating outside. Loud music was playing and the party could be heard from 50 feet away, according to police. Upon entering the home, police found a beer pong table in the kitchen, a gallon-size Ziploc full of marijuana on the table, and a beer can pyramid.

The homeowner was not present and did not know about the party, hosted by her nephew, who was celebrating his 18th birthday. He told police no one lived at the residence because his aunt was going through a divorce. She gave officers consent to break up the party and enter the home. The host was booked for furnishing alcohol to minors.

Police found four minors smoking marijuana in a car at the boat launch and when they approached the house, found people running from the premises. Teenagers were jumping over walls, running into the forest, and hiding in closets throughout the home, according to the report.

Officers rounded up partygoers and tested them for alcohol consumption. Those 27 minors caught consuming alcohol were arrested and transported to the Youth Processing Center. Police said the home had an overwhelming smell of beer and after the youth were transported, officers spend several minutes dumping out the remaining beer and liquor before locking up the house.

According to Party Patrol policy, all minors in possession met with chemical dependency professionals and were screened for substance abuse issues. Trained volunteers will work with the youth and their families to provide substance abuse resources and intervention assistance as needed.

You can learn more about the Party Patrol at piercecountywa.org/dui, and the Tacoma Police Department has set up a Party Intervention Patrol Hot Line to report underage drinking parties in the city. Tacoma parents and concerned citizens should call 253-830-6548 to report underage parties.