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Kent party law pits students against police Frustration from clashes apparent on both sides

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By Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

One year ago, Kent City Council passed a new ordinance pitting police officers and, as is most often the case, students against each other.

The result was a level of frustration on both sides.

Kent Police Chief James Peach said the city's nuisance party, unlawful noise and criminal activity nuisance property ordinances have a broad base of enforcement opportunities through the city's health, safety and building departments.

"The most important aspect of the nuisance party ordinance is the ability to close down large parties," Peach said. "The officers experience so much more physical, verbal abuse, because of these situations, than the community will ever know."

Though other city departments can enforce some aspects of these ordinances, police officers are most often the first city employee on the scene.

Adam Edwards, a 2007 graduate of Kent State University, received a citation from police for violating the city's nuisance party ordinance in May while he was still living at 212 N. Lincoln St. Edwards was among four other people arrested when officers responded to a noise complaint at the house.

Edwards said he spent 11 hours in jail but only paid about $100 of the minimum $500 fine because the penalty was reduced in court. The biochemistry major is now working in the field in Florida.

"Honestly, I think it's nonsense because it's a college town," Edwards said. "The students who live off campus are concentrated in certain areas. And so if people choose to live on those streets or around those streets, they know what they're getting into."

Another former KSU student who pleaded guilty to a nuisance party charge issued in August was more understanding of the intent of the ordinance. The student, who asked not to be identified, was cited after police responded to an arson call on East College Street when they heard the noise from her party and approached her residence.

"Somebody had set a couch on fire down the street, and I was at the end of the street," she said. "And they thought that person was at my house, but they weren't. It was kind of bad timing for everything."

She, too, paid less than the minimum $500 fine and served 16 hours of community service.

"I know they're doing their job just trying to keep things under control, but that ordinance, nobody's ever heard of it," she said.

At-large Kent City Councilman Rick Hawksley said he voted for the ordinance to help protect officers.

"We've heard a lot from people over the years about that," Hawksley said. "This really was, from a technical standpoint of the ordinance, giving the law enforcement people more tools. Is there an interest to try and maintain the quality of life of neighborhoods that might be up against these issues? Sure. That's always been an issue."