When Cops Come To Your Party

Underage Drinking

I’m Don Pumphrey Jr. with the Pumphrey Law Firm.

The question was posed to me by a younger person and asked – what do I do if I’m having a party or a get-together with alcoholic beverages for my adult friends and by adult friends that means people over the age of 21 what do you do if the police come?

Many times the police officers will come to a residence or an apartment because of a noise complaint or because someone wasn’t happy because they weren’t invited to the party.  Nothing to fear, all you need to do is this.  When the police knock on the door, you need to first compose yourself, two, make sure all the music and all the noise is turned down and then step outside with the officer or officers.  Close the door behind you and have a very respectful discussion with the officer or officers.  That discussion should go something like this – good evening officers, what can I do for you, I’m the owner of the house.  They will then explain to you why they’re there.  They may try to gain access into the house and there is no way you are to agree or allow them permission to go inside your residence –  it’s one of the most sacred things protected by our Constitution here in the United States.  Don’t agree to any searches!  You have to be polite, you have to be respectful, as you always want to be with any law enforcement officer, but you need to be firm and you need to say – I don’t agree to allowing you in my residence.  Figure out what the problem is, tell them you’ll resolve it, then ask to leave.  You can wait outside until they leave or you can go back in and shut the door behind you.  Make sure that if you go back inside that you don’t push the door on the officers or force them in any way.  There are some officers that’ll put their foot in the door, there’s some that will push their hand on the door.  You need to ask them politely – please take your foot out of my doorway or please remove your hand from my doorway unless you have a search warrant or a lawful basis.  Be respectful, be kind, and don’t ever do anything physical against a law enforcement officer.  That’s something that can be addressed at a later time with an excellent attorney.

For the Pumphrey Law Firm, I’m Don Pumphrey Jr.

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