College parties: Your rights when the police show up

On Behalf of | Feb 15, 2018 | Underage Drinking |

When college students throw a house party, it is more than likely that someone underage will be consuming alcohol there, even if the person that is hosting it is under the age of 21 and does not intend to facilitate underage drinking.

As a college student you might be worried about throwing a house party in case the police show up and potentially find the existence of underage drinking at your party. The following is some information about your rights in the event of the police turning up to your party.

You have the right to refuse their entry

If you are the resident of a property and the police arrive and request entry, you do not have to let them in. The police must have a valid warrant, obtained by a judge, in order to enter a property without permission. If they do arrive at your property and ask to enter, it might be a good idea to step outside and close the door behind you before talking to them.

You have the right to not talk to them

If the police stop you after you are leaving a house party, you are not obliged to talk to them. If you feel intimidated by them, you can ask them whether you are being detailed and if not, whether you are free to go.

In addition, you have the right to refuse a Breathalyzer test as long as you are not driving. If you are worried about your rights when it comes to visits from the police, it is important to know the law so that you can have confident interactions.

Source: Cooper Point Journal, “What to Do When the Cops Come to Your Party,” accessed Feb. 08, 2018