By Alana Mitchelson
A Pakenham party publicised on Facebook left in excess of 150 youths roaming the streets after midnight on Sunday morning.
The event attracted a large number of youths who had not been invited by the host, and crowded the Caitlin Drive property on Sunday 15 January.
The average age of the guests was 17 years old, but there was “minimal to no parental supervision”.
Once the party was over, the mass of attendees had nowhere to go and were seen wandering the streets.
A brawl took place between a number of people shortly after midnight and police were called to the scene.
Pakenham Senior Sergeant Nathan Prowd said that when strangers attended these kinds of events, there was the potential for conflict to arise.
He said a significant number of police were required to manage the crowd including canine units.
“We generally find that the parties that go wrong are those advertised on Facebook,” Sen Sgt Prowd said.
“We strongly discourage this. Even if the event is marked as ‘private’, people can share the event with their friends.
“You lose control of who will arrive. Even if you don’t let them inside your home, they can hang around in the streets and create safety problems for guests as they arrive.”
Sen Sgt Prowd said that if a host wished to register their party with the police, they should do so at least three days prior to the event.
Registration ensures police are aware of the event and can provide timely assistance if things begin to get out of hand.
For more information or to register a party, search “Party Safe” at www.police.vic.gov.au.
