Police Warn Parents On Social Hosting Law

(Beaver Dam) Parents are being warned of the consequences involved with social hosting. The Beaver Dam Police Department is reminding citizens of the city ordinance now that graduation and summer parties will be increasing over the next several weeks. Sergeant Erik Smedema says the law is designed to deter parents from serving alcohol on their property to minors at parties. Smedema says the way the state statute was written did not allow for local law enforcement to enforce the rule but recent updates to the law have changed that. He says parents or guardians are very rarely given a warning if they are discovered serving alcohol to minors. Smedema says it has been easier to police this law in the social media age and noted that several recent busts have come from individuals reporting the incidents on Snapchat. If a person is in violation with the ordinance a citation will be written against and they will face a fine around $1,300 dollars. Police says if someone gets hurt or if there is an accident stemming from someone serving an underage person alcohol, criminal charges could be brought against them.