Highland Park Cops Bust Teen Party

Several Park Cities teenagers are walking around with hangovers this morning. At around 10:30 last night, four Highland Park police officers busted a party in the 3600 block of Lindenwood Avenue.

Eight “consumption by minor” citations were issued to a pair of 18-year-olds, four 17-year-olds, and two 16-year-olds. A “minor in possession” citation was issued to the 17-year-old daughter of the homeowner. Police said her parents were not home at the time.

By Dan Koller Dec. 20, 2010 | 9:58 am | 14 Comments | Comments RSS
14 comments to "Highland Park Cops Bust Teen Party"
  1. hpparent @ December 20, 2010 at 11:22 am
    Happens all the time – 3800 block of Miramar a couple of weeks ago, and 3400 block of Harvard the week before that. And those are just the ones that I know of!

  2. Tk @ December 20, 2010 at 12:56 pm
    I recently heard through the gossip-vine that the Harvard party was a Freshman party with “vomit all over the house”
    It sounded pretty gross and sad to me. It’s a never ending situation, but it’s too bad that some kids are so anxious to grow-up and be adults when they are so ill- equipped.

  3. The Problem is parents @ December 20, 2010 at 4:36 pm
    Let’s be honest. The #1 problem with this issue is not teenagers it’s parents. Stop being ignorant. Be responsible. Leave Mi Cocina or whatever charity ball or art exhibit you’re at and take care of your kids. You are responsible for knowing where they are, who they are with and what they are doing.

  4. Mad HP Parent @ December 20, 2010 at 7:27 pm
    @The Problem is parents:
    Yes, but it’s on both. Parents and teens are both to blame. Kids know the law too, don’t care, don’t face consequences.

  5. Teen Parent @ December 21, 2010 at 8:58 am
    Teenagers make stupid mistakes and often lie to their parents about where they are going and what they are doing. Many of us did the same stupid stuff when we were kids. The parent finds out that they weren’t at the movies when they get a call to come pick their kid up from the party.
    I’ve heard the teen excuse that they have to sneak around to parties like this because mom or dad are TOO strict. Kids will find a way and an excuse. This usually isn’t the parent fault.
    If the kid has a trace of alcohol then the parent has to decide if they will (1) let the kid suffer the life changing consequenses of getting charged, college offer withdrawn, kicked out of sports, etc … or (2) get them off and send the wrong message that this is okay.

  6. hpdude @ December 21, 2010 at 12:26 pm
    Why dont we stop serving alcohol to the 14 year olds

  7. Jeanne Prejean @ December 21, 2010 at 1:48 pm
    Just did a post (http://tinyurl.com/2d9l8b7)
    about Phoenix House’s Feinberg Academy. Their research shows the top two sources of alcohol and drugs for teens are 1) peers and 2) parents.

  8. whoknew @ December 21, 2010 at 1:58 pm
    As a parent of a teenager- @ teen parent nailed it. I am known as a strict parent but as much as I try to monitor where they are most of the time,even I don’t know sometimes. I am hoping this teaches them alittle independence and maturity. These are very difficult times to be a parent- I think the majority of us are just doing the best we can.
    @The problem is parents- just because we know where they are , who they are with and what they are doing, does not prevent things from happening.
    My goal is to keep them safe, have consequences for their actions and hope they learn from their mistakes. All too soon they will be away at college making their own decisions and hopefully using good judgment!

  9. TransplantfromWestFTW @ December 22, 2010 at 7:57 am
    lets be honest – the survey may say “the top two sources of alcohol and drugs for teens are 1) peers and 2) parents”, but in all honesty, I bet a few of those kids have fake IDs. Actually, I will go so far as to say they do. I was in high school not too long ago, and I had many of fake ids and so did my friends. We didn’t rely on our parents or friend’s parents or older friends. We bought ourselves.

  10. kmom @ December 22, 2010 at 1:12 pm
    There is something you can do to try and not supply the kids with booze or drugs – lock them up. The drugs & booze I mean. I remember when my son was about 12 and one of his friends mom’s told me in passing that she had just had a lock installed on her bar cabinets. I was a bit taken aback – we have such GOOD kids! She said, oh I know that – but can you trust every single friend they might bring to the house in the next 6 years? Hmmmm. I know of a freshman girl that got in trouble last week. Parents were at work and some of her high school friends were over during the day. The parents discoverd that several beers were missing from the fridge when they returned that night. The young lady admitted that a couple of the young men had indeed helped themselves to a few beers and she “just didn’t know what to do”. Punishment insued – but what if the beer hadn’t been accessible? Many of us have two fridges – not a big deal to get a lock on the garage fridge and keep the beer & wine in that. And keep your liquor in a locked cabinet as well. And while you are at it, get a locked box, file cabinet or a safe to keep your prescription drugs in (or that wee bit of weed you keep for special occasions). I had a friend last year discover that a bottle of pain pills had disappeared after a large family get together at her home. So – make an effort, lock it all up by the time your kids get to the double digits age, and you will KNOW that you can’t be supplying them or their friends with anything harmful.

  11. Another Mother @ December 22, 2010 at 4:01 pm
    And don’t be the parent who lets the teens drink at your house when they use their fake id’s to buy alcohol.

  12. Mom of a smart but stupid teen @ December 22, 2010 at 5:46 pm
    The slogan of HP teens (and HP in general) seems to be:
    It’s more important to look good than to be good.

    Until that changes (and it hasn’t changed in the 30 years I’ve been here), we’ll continue to have these problems. And, sure, parents need to be vigilant. But let’s put the blame where it usually belongs – with these crafty kids. Protecting them from themselves is is difficult job. And their only remorse is usually that they were caught.

  13. Another Mother @ December 23, 2010 at 11:25 am
    Crafty teens require craftier parents. It is a difficult job, which is why some parents don’t bother. And despite your very best efforts things still may and do happen. But consistent diligence on the part of parents really does make a difference.

  14. D @ December 23, 2010 at 11:58 am
    @Another Mother, Spot on. Kids will be kids, always have, and always will be. But blaming the kids is a copout. Of course they must be held accountable, and every action should have consequences. But the parents have to be vigilant, and try to stay ahead of the game. Many in our town, the majority of whom do not aid and abet the children, don’t bother.

Leave a Reply