Suisun City Municipal Code Ch. 9.20 Police Services at Parties

The city council finds and declares that:

A. The control of large parties, gatherings or events on private property is necessary when such continued activity is determined to be a threat to the peace, health, safety or general welfare of the public.

B. These large parties, gatherings or events often pose a threat to the peace, health, safety and general welfare of the public.

C. Frequently police officers have been required to make return calls to the location of a party, gathering or event in order to disperse the uncooperative participants.

D. The return of police officers to a location constitutes a drain of manpower and resources often leaving other areas of the city with reduced police protection.

E. The conditions in this section create a significant hazard to the safety of the police officers and to the public in general.

(Ord. 579 § 1(1), 1990)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

A. "Large party," "gathering" or "event" is a group of persons who have assembled or are assembling for a social occasion or activity.

B. "Police services" includes the salaries, benefits and administrative overhead of the police officers for the amount of time actually spent in responding to or in remaining at the party, gathering or event; the actual cost of any medical treatment to injured officers; and the actual cost of repairing any damaged city equipment or property.

C. "Person responsible for the event" is the person who owns the property where the party, gathering or event takes place, the person in charge of the premises and/or the person who organized the event. If the person responsible for the event is a minor, then the parents or guardians of that minor will be jointly and severely liable for the costs incurred for police services.

D. "Special security assignment" is the assignment of police officers and services during a second call to a location after having given a warning to the person responsible for the party, gathering or event which violates the law.

(Ord. 579 § 1(2), 1990)

When a large party, gathering or event occurs on private property and a police officer at the scene determines that there is a threat to the public peace, health, safety or general welfare, the person(s) responsible for the event will be held liable for the cost of providing police services for the special security assignment during a second response by the police, after a written warning, to control the threat to the public peace, health, safety or general welfare and the dispersal of an unruly crowd, event or gathering. The return call, or second call, may also result in the arrest and/or citation of violators of the state penal code or local regulations.

(Ord. 579 § 1(3), 1990)

The police services fee shall include the cost of all police services, but shall not exceed five hundred dollars for a single incident. The city does not waive its right to seek reimbursement for actual costs exceeding five hundred dollars through other legal remedies or procedures. The amount of such fees charged shall be deemed a debt of the person or persons receiving the services and, if minors, their parents or guardians and due and payable to the city. Any person owing money shall be liable in an action brought in the name of the city for recovery of such amount, including reasonable attorney fees.

(Ord. 579 § 1(4), 1990)