Spring Break
Council makes stickers 'stick'
Andy Blais
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
09/12/07 - Parties "down-the-line" may be a lot quieter this year due to a stricter "orange sticker" policy unanimously approved last Tuesday by the Narragansett Town Council.
The orange stickers, denoting a "party house," will now stay posted on offending houses until May 31, instead of the previous 60-day limit.
The Town Council also upped the fine for the first offense from $250 to $300 per tenant. A second offense brings a $400 fine and the third, a $500 fine per tenant. Tenants also face court costs and possible community service imposed by the judge.
Narragansett Police Community Officer Robert Storme said it was too early to tell if the new policy was working.
Keeping the sticker up all school year is meant to prevent students from breaking the law repeatedly. "Once that sticker came down, you had a potential for a repeat," Storme said.
URI Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Dougan said the university supports the new, stricter policy. "I think that the university is supportive of anything preventing students from disrupting neighborhoods," he said.
Narragansett Police post orange stickers on "party houses" if officers observe excessive noise, traffic violations, rowdiness or public drunkenness, Storme said.
The police handed out 11 citations in the first week of classes. Last year, the police posted 90 stickers.
Last year, nine houses that received the bright orange stickers received a second one after the first came down. Of those nine, two houses received a sticker a third time.
Each time a house receives a sticker, the police work to notify that property's owner and university officials. URI sends a letter to any student that receives an orange sticker outlining exactly what might happen if they continue to break the law, Dougan said.
Now the police won't have to replicate that process for repeat offenders, Storme said.
"Basically we're not going back and reading the same book twice," Storme said.
Dougan said he believes the stricter policy would help curb partying "down-the-line."
He said students who hold off-campus parties will now need to be "more responsible and manage them better."
URI students are starting to take notice of the new policy changes. Storme said students have started asking him about the updated policy.
"The word has gotten around," he said. "And I think it's a good thing."
Chris Barrett contributed to this story.
The orange stickers, denoting a "party house," will now stay posted on offending houses until May 31, instead of the previous 60-day limit.
The Town Council also upped the fine for the first offense from $250 to $300 per tenant. A second offense brings a $400 fine and the third, a $500 fine per tenant. Tenants also face court costs and possible community service imposed by the judge.
Narragansett Police Community Officer Robert Storme said it was too early to tell if the new policy was working.
Keeping the sticker up all school year is meant to prevent students from breaking the law repeatedly. "Once that sticker came down, you had a potential for a repeat," Storme said.
URI Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Dougan said the university supports the new, stricter policy. "I think that the university is supportive of anything preventing students from disrupting neighborhoods," he said.
Narragansett Police post orange stickers on "party houses" if officers observe excessive noise, traffic violations, rowdiness or public drunkenness, Storme said.
The police handed out 11 citations in the first week of classes. Last year, the police posted 90 stickers.
Last year, nine houses that received the bright orange stickers received a second one after the first came down. Of those nine, two houses received a sticker a third time.
Each time a house receives a sticker, the police work to notify that property's owner and university officials. URI sends a letter to any student that receives an orange sticker outlining exactly what might happen if they continue to break the law, Dougan said.
Now the police won't have to replicate that process for repeat offenders, Storme said.
"Basically we're not going back and reading the same book twice," Storme said.
Dougan said he believes the stricter policy would help curb partying "down-the-line."
He said students who hold off-campus parties will now need to be "more responsible and manage them better."
URI students are starting to take notice of the new policy changes. Storme said students have started asking him about the updated policy.
"The word has gotten around," he said. "And I think it's a good thing."
Chris Barrett contributed to this story.
