Office of Off-Campus Affairs
Party Safety
How Oxford House Parties Become Involved In Incidents Of Crime
- Guests at a party may have other motives in mind than partying.
- Invite ONLY people you trust.
- Party guests have complete access to the entire residence. Who knows what they may do or take when you aren't watching.
- Party guests can easily case out the place and plan to come back later for a real haul, particularly during school breaks.
- Guests who look like college students may not be nice and harmless. They can be dangerous and even armed.
- Do realize bad things can happen to you just as easily as to others.
- Do take necessary precautions.
- Do have sober party monitors.
- Do be aware of what is going on at all times.
- Do secure all the household and private valuables during the party.
- Don't allow guests you don't know.
- Don't completely trust someone you just met.
- Don't allow the party to spread throughout your whole residence.
- Don't leave valuables in plain sight.
- Oxford adopted a Nuisance Party Ordinance, Section 509.13 in 2003 to address situations when the police must make repeated appearances at a party due to either complaints from the community or evident unsafe behavior during routine officer patrol.
- When parties become out-of-control, they are a danger to the health, safety and welfare of all Oxford citizens. Any number of conditions and conduct can lead to nuisance party citations. Monitoring your party for unsafe and out-of-control situations can keep you out of trouble.
- Some events or conditions that can lead to a nuisance party citation are:
- Disorderly conduct
- Noise violations
- Underage possession
- Consumption and/or furnishing
- Illegal use of a controlled substance
- Littering
- Public indecency
- Damage or destruction of property
- Standing or parked vehicles that obstruct the free flow of traffic on public streets and sidewalks or that impede the ability to render emergency services
- Any other conduct or condition that threatens injury, inconvenience, or alarm to persons or damage to property
