Detroit block party crackdown: What's permitted, not allowed
DETROIT (FOX 2) - After a fatal shooting at a Detroit block party over Fourth of July weekend, police stepped up patrols on illegal gatherings.
Block parties are allowed in the city, but there are specific requirements for hosting them, and they must be approved by the police department. Many of the parties being held are not allowed and are the target of these new patrols.
What's a legal block party?
A block party is a gathering that requires the closing of a block or portion of a street for one day. They are permitted between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Legal block parties prohibit alcohol and marijuana use on public streets. There are also rules preventing food vendors and inflatable bounce houses from being on public streets.
In order to have a legal block party, an application must be filed with the City of Detroit.
The applicant must be the president or chair of the block club and must reside on the block, according to the city application's guidelines. And in order for the street to be closed, 75% approval of the households residing on the block involved is required.
Detroit police searching for illegal block parties after violence at gatherings
Detroit police are hitting the streets in an effort to stop illegal block parties before they can turn violent. This comes after a mass shooting at a gathering last weekend left two people dead.
What parties are not allowed?
Block parties are not allowed if city approval hasn't been received.
Parties that received approval can also turn illegal if attendees are breaking certain rules:
- Vehicles are parked illegally (i.e. on sidewalks or lawns)
- Attendees are loitering in public areas or interfering with traffic
- Music and noise are excessive
- Minors are unaccompanied and violating curfew
When is approval not needed?
Party approval is not needed if a gathering is confined to a home's backyard and music and noise are not loud and disturbing to neighbors, the city said.