Teens “plan disorderly” parties
Police are warning parents that teenagers are organising parties with the deliberate intention of driving them out of control so they can score “points” for the level of chaos created.
It is understood organisers win points if a party becomes so disorderly that police, paramedics or media attend.
Midland police have asked high schools in the eastern suburbs to publish a letter telling parents about the disturbing trend. “Of particular concern is recent intelligence received by police that parties are being organised by individuals with the deliberate intention of creating an out-of-control gathering,” the letter says.
“It appears the aim is to create an out-of-control gathering so that police will attend. This will earn the organiser some ‘points’ (and presumably prestige that they wrongly believe goes hand in hand by being involved in these types of incidents).
“There are further ‘points’ scored if an ambulance is called to the party and even more ‘points’ if the media is involved.”
The letter asked parents to make sure their child did not attend a party likely to escalate out of control and to pass on any information about such gatherings to police.
Midland local policing team acting Sen. Sgt. Dave White said intelligence gathered during a recent investigation into disorderly parties seemed to show some people were trying to enhance their reputation by goading police into attending. “If they get 10 cars turn up, they may get 10 points and if 20 police turn up they might get 20 points,” he said.
“It is a bit disturbing, thinking they’re going to be goading the police into attendance just so they can get a few points or a little bit of notoriety amongst their friends.
“Obviously we take these things very seriously. It’s a serious matter when you’ve got 150 teenagers and they start throwing bottles and rocks and damaging property.”
Sen. Sgt. White said he did not know how widespread the points scheme might be.
Edith Cowan University psychology lecturer Bronwyn Harman said one of the issues with increased social media use was a disconnect between reality and fantasy. “So people may be treating this as a type of real-life 3D video game,” she said. “And because they’re becoming more disconnected from reality and not realising the impact they have on people’s lives, they don’t think about the consequences of what they’re doing.”
