MELBOURNE - A Melbourne teenager who threw a wild party while his parents were away is facing the possibility of a $20,000 police bill.
Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said the cost of breaking up the 500-strong crowd of drunken youths in Narre Warren South on Saturday night was about $20,000, if not more.
About 30 officers, a police helicopter and the dog squad were called to the party in Galloway Drive about 11pm (AEDT).
Teenagers pelted police vehicles with glass bottles and damaged property.
Ms Nixon said the behaviour toward police was appalling.
She said police were considering billing the boy, to spare the community the cost.
"I'm very unhappy about it, watching police officers treated in that fashion,'' Ms Nixon said.
"That young man invited hundreds of people to his house, not responsible at all in any way, 500 people turned up and caused great harm to the community, a great deal of expense to Victoria Police.''
The crowd eventually dispersed and no-one was arrested.
The boy, Corey, told Channel Nine he knew he had invited a lot of people but could not remember how the party started.
"I was just off my head,'' he said.
He said he had notified his neighbours.
"We warned them, we said the party would be finished at like 12(am) and they were like 'sweet, sweet, sweet,' but then they called the cops anyway, so we were like 'oh, damn','' he said.
Ms Nixon said she was disappointed the youth seemed to have shown no remorse.
"That young man didn't even seem like he was repentant,'' she said.
"I think he needs to learn a lesson and one way or another, we'll do that.''
Ms Nixon said police occasionally billed members of the public.
"In this case, our cars have been damaged, it will be difficult for us to determine exactly who damaged the cars, but that young man called the party, invited people there and has a responsibility,'' she said.
Victoria's Acting Premier Rob Hulls said he had been told the parents were unaware the party was being organised and were "horrified'' and extremely apologetic when police told them what had happened.
This boy has got a few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock if he thinks 500 mates drinking the amber liquid wouldn't draw the attention of the soggies.
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i dont know how taxes work in the land down under, but isnt that why people pay taxes? regardless of what happens, i dont think citizens should be forces to pay any bills for police activity. now, if they're charging them for the damage, then i could understand, but for dispatching, etc, that's crazy. musta been one wild party though
Snakes Gould wrote:i dont know how taxes work in the land down under, but isnt that why people pay taxes? regardless of what happens, i dont think citizens should be forces to pay any bills for police activity. now, if they're charging them for the damage, then i could understand, but for dispatching, etc, that's crazy. musta been one wild party though
I see your reasoning, but I have to disagree with it. Just because I pay taxes that shouldn't give me the right to completely lose my mind and make the police come over to my house every night. At some point I have to be held responsible for my actions. This kid's actions were simply above and beyond what a good citizen should be expected to do. No way should he get off the hook for this stupidity.
Now, $20K may be a bit much for his "crime," but he should have to pay something.
Snakes Gould wrote:i dont know how taxes work in the land down under, but isnt that why people pay taxes? regardless of what happens, i dont think citizens should be forces to pay any bills for police activity. now, if they're charging them for the damage, then i could understand, but for dispatching, etc, that's crazy. musta been one wild party though
I see your reasoning, but I have to disagree with it. Just because I pay taxes that shouldn't give me the right to completely lose my mind and make the police come over to my house every night. At some point I have to be held responsible for my actions. This kid's actions were simply above and beyond what a good citizen should be expected to do. No way should he get off the hook for this stupidity.
Now, $20K may be a bit much for his "crime," but he should have to pay something.
ok, well charge him for disturbing the peace, underage drinking, lewd behavior, take away his license, (if his first offense) give him some probation and maybe community service, and a fine, somewhere around $500-$1000 (+court fees of course). you cant charge him for use of a helicopter, dispatching 200 officers, rental for guns, yada yada yada.
Snakes Gould wrote:you cant charge him for use of a helicopter, dispatching 200 officers, rental for guns, yada yada yada.
I really think you can. It is not reasonable to think that you and I as "normal" citizens living out a "normal" day would require 200 officers, guns, helicopters, etc for whatever situation we get into. That's far beyond the normal call of duty, and the taxes we pay don't compensate the state for that.
Think about this - if 200 people a year, a pittance of the overall tax base, had parties like this every year, how long would it take before taxes were raised, or at the very least for the Police to run out of funds? Not long, I'm guessing.
It's only barely OK in this instance because it doesn't happen very often. But if Australian police departments run on the same kinds of budgets most American departments run on, this is far, far too much money for the police to spend because some nitwit kid wanted to have a huge beer bash.
Snakes Gould wrote:you cant charge him for use of a helicopter, dispatching 200 officers, rental for guns, yada yada yada.
I really think you can.
Most certainly.
My kid brother blew out a tire and hit a guardrail. Bill from the city for guardrail damage - $500.
Taxpayers are not responsible to pay the bills for things like this. It doesn't come out of the "general fund" or anything. Just imagine the retribution if it did. My taxes go up because of this kid? I'd be calling for his head. Others may take matters into their own hands, which of course would get ugly.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
thedude wrote:This boy has got a few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock if he thinks 500 mates drinking the amber liquid wouldn't draw the attention of the soggies.
I'm going to need the RynMan seal of approval on this post. That almost sounded legit.
Kid in Hot Water wrote:"We warned them, we said the party would be finished at like 12(am) and they were like 'sweet, sweet, sweet,' but then they called the cops anyway, so we were like 'oh, damn','' he said.
Does anyone else find this quote hilarious?
Anyways, I agree with Snakes here, the kid should be held responsible for whatever damage was done by his party and its members, and they can charge him with handfuls of infractions, but he shouldn't have to pay the literal cost of the police's work.
On the other hand, threatening him with that bill is a good idea. It will truly hammer in exactly how much the consequences of doing something like he did really are. In the end though, actually making him pay it is too much.
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by knapplc » Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:38 pm 
