Essex County OPP are warning parents and students about the risks of hosting and/or attending prom and grad parties.

Police say youth who consume alcohol and/or use illicit drugs remain more vulnerable to negative consequences compared to adults due to their inexperience and lower tolerance to these substances often commonplace at such events. 

Often decisions made under the influence lead to detrimental situations that may cause serious injury or death to teens, young adults and innocent victims, say police. 

Officers are issuing a reminder that property owners can, and have been held civilly responsible for injuries sustained to persons on their property at events like these. 

Police want to make it very clear that unsupervised after-prom parties or "field parties" have the potential to be unsafe environments for anyone attending. 

Reports of assault, both physical and sexual, drug and alcohol related offences, thefts and property damage stemming from these types of parties are frequently reported to and investigated by police.   

A significant increased police presence will be noticed during these times as OPP members patrol and enforce Provincial offences and Criminal Code violations but most importantly proactively work to protect the youth in the communities of Essex County.

Anyone with information on suspected field parties or unsupervised after-prom parties can contact the Essex County OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).