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Residents press council for stronger ‘unruly gatherings’ rules after large Pond Street party; police to draft amendments
Summary
Neighbors and police urged the Town Council on Jan. 13 to strengthen South Kingstown’s unruly‑gathering and mass‑gathering rules after a December house party drew hundreds, prompted arrests and left nearby residents asking for faster enforcement.
Neighbors and police at the Jan. 13 Town Council meeting asked the council to consider changes to local ordinances after a Dec. 14 house party on Pond Street drew hundreds of people, generated multiple arrests and left nearby residents alarmed and wanting a faster enforcement route.
Resident Louis Santilli described repeated disruptive parties at a rental property across the street from his home and urged the council to strengthen the town’s “unruly gatherings” rules. “It’s generally out of control,” Santilli told the council, and he provided photos and documentation via email to the council ahead of the meeting.
Chief of Police told the council the department had responded to a large Dec. 14 gathering involving an estimated 300–350 people, DJ equipment and tents. Officers made 10 arrests that night; the charges included underage‑drinking counts and one arrest for possession of a controlled substance. The chief said the department had previously cited the owner under the town’s social‑host enforcement ordinance during an earlier incident at the same address.
The chief recommended two specific changes: eliminate the ordinance’s time window (which currently limits action to late‑night hours) so police can treat daytime events the same as nighttime events, and strengthen the temporary mass‑gathering permit so the town could act promptly when a large event is being held without prior authorization. “A lot of times…these parties are happening during the daytime. So we can’t wait till 10:00 at night to break it down,” the chief said, arguing the time restriction hampers prompt enforcement.
Council members discussed the balance between public safety and legitimate daytime events such as private weddings or neighborhood gatherings. Several councilors asked the police department and the town attorney to prepare a menu of policy options and draft ordinance language for council consideration. The council president said staff should present options at a subsequent meeting rather than move immediately to public notice and public hearing.
What’s next: The chief and the town attorney will draft possible ordinance amendments and a range of enforcement options for the council to review, including changes to the temporary mass‑gathering rules and to the town’s social‑host enforcement tools. A council meeting date to revisit the issue was suggested for the Feb. 10 agenda.
