Prom, graduation parties targets for ‘Party Patrol’

Officers Craig Gocha and Craig Sullivan knew what to look for Saturday night when trying to find an underage party to bust: prom dresses and tuxedos.

“No one who is 21 is still in high school or is going to prom,” said Gocha, an officer with the Puyallup Police Department.

He and Sullivan, who is with the Sumner Police Department, joined forces over the weekend for a “Party Intervention Patrol,” called “Party Patrol” for short. KIRO Radio was along for the ride.

Three teams of officers followed up on tips, staked out known party houses and drove through the streets of Puyallup, Sumner and Bonney Lake well into Sunday morning, but made no arrests for underage drinking.

“Sometimes they’re a little bit ahead of us and sometimes we’re a little bit ahead of them,” said Gloria Mansfield Averill , coordinator for the Tacoma Pierce-County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force. “I hope it’s because there really weren’t very many parties out there. That would be good news for us. That would mean that we are successful doing what we’re doing.”

Mansfield Averill said there are fewer parties to bust now then when the “Party Patrols” began five years ago. As part of the program, those arrested are taken to a holding area where they can speak with counselors about drugs, alcohol and binge drinking.

“You have people that are so intoxicated, so heavily intoxicated, that some of the times they need medical attention,” Officer Gotcha said. “They’ll be on the verge of alcohol poisoning.”

While the team came up empty Saturday, the Party Patrol busted a birthday bash in Bonney Lake in April that led to the arrest of 24 youth for minor in possession. Among those arrested was a girl who was found semiconscious on the floor of a bathroom, according to police.