The Office of Student Well-Being, in collaboration with Campus Police and the Durango Police Department, invites you to participate in our Party Smart Registration program! We hope your involvement will encourage safe, fun parties with fewer citations and consequences.
Party smart & register
We hope you have a fun and safe one! Learn about these tips* and the program rules. Always remember that when hosting a party, you are assuming responsibility for any issues that may take place.
*These tips are not exhaustive.
Party Smart Registration is a cooperative effort between Fort Lewis College's Office of Student Well-Being, Campus Safety, and the Durango Police Department to provide party hosts with an opportunity to receive a warning, providing a 20-minute window to voluntarily terminate a party after a complaint has been received.
Fort Lewis College is not sponsoring or supporting student-led parties by offering the Party Smart Program. This program educates students and encourages conscientious, safe parties and gatherings. Fort Lewis does not endorse or condone underage drinking or smoking, the overconsumption of alcohol, or illicit drug use.
The Party Smart Registration program does not guarantee that a municipal and/or state summons will not be issued, and the registrant understands that the police may respond at any time to any party with a criminal conduct complaint. The Party Smart Registration program does not prohibit or limit in any manner the authority of the police to respond to a party for any reason whatsoever without previously providing a warning. Police will use reasonable efforts to contact the party registrant and give a warning when appropriate. However, the registrant acknowledges that this program does not guarantee a warning. Furthermore, the warning and termination of a party is only available once per party registration - violations after termination of the registered party will not receive the benefit of a warning and are subject to enforcement. The City and FLC neither condone nor sponsor any party registered with the Party Smart Registration program. Participation in the Party Smart Registration program does not constitute approval of any such party or related activities by the City or FLC.
The City and FLC are not liable for the conduct or actions of any guests, hosts, or individuals associated with a party registered with the Party Smart Registration program. Participation in the Party Smart Registration program does not guarantee that the host(s) or attendees of the registered party will be relieved of any legal consequences arising from any conduct or actions associated with the party. The City and FLC shall not be liable for damages to property or injuries to or death of any person or persons arising from a party registered with the Party Smart Registration program. The registrant is responsible for complying with federal, state, and local laws, including but not limited to paying any fines or fulfilling any legal obligations that may come.
How does the Party Smart Registration program work?
The Party Smart Registration program aims to give party hosts an opportunity to receive a warning, providing a 20-minute window to voluntarily terminate a party after receiving a complaint. The information you provide while registering your party will be sent to Durango Police Dispatch before the party. If a complaint is called regarding your party, dispatch will either send an automatic phone call message or text you and your alternate, notifying you of this and giving you a 20-minute warning to shut down your party. Please note that depending on dispatch call volume, the 20-minute warning may come from the police directly. If another complaint is called into dispatch after the sign and 20-minute window, a police officer will be sent to your address.
Does it cost money to register my party?
No! Party Smart Registration is completely free!
Do I have to be 21 to register my party?
No! Anyone who lives off-campus within the Durango community and is 18+ can register their party.
Where can I register my party?
It’s simple! Fill out our online registration form.
When can I register my party?
Parties can be registered year-round, regardless of the day of the week they fall on. However, they MUST be registered by noon Thursday before the party date.
Do police officers get the list of registered parties? Won’t police specifically go to these addresses to shut down the party?
No! The list of registered parties goes to Dispatch, so if your neighbor calls you in on a noise-related complaint, dispatch will call you and your alternate with a warning. Police officers on duty do not have the list of registered parties.
Do registered parties get shut down at a particular time?
No! As long as the party isn't too loud or disruptive to cause you to get a warning call from dispatch or an in-person visit from police, your party can continue. An in-person visit from police can result from anything that officers would notice while out on patrol, such as disruptive noise, guests hanging out outside, trash, etc.
Any advice on how to tell my neighbors I’m about to have a party?
Be honest and friendly, and remember that you are not asking for permission; you are simply being courteous. Leaving them a note is also an option. Here’s a sample:
Dear Neighbor,
My name is __________________ and I live at: ______________________________. I want to let you know that we will be having a party at my/our home on _________, and there may be several people parking around the area and additional noise from music and guests. The event is starting around _____ and is planned to finish at______. I want to apologize in advance for any inconvenience and will do our very best to keep the music level and noise to a respectable level and ensure that our guests leave quietly. If you do have any concerns on the night that we are being too loud or regarding the conduct of any of our guests, please call me at__________. Thank you in advance for your understanding, and I apologize again for any disturbances and assure you this will not be a regular occurrence.
Kind regards,
____________________________________
This program is modeled after Party Smart at Colorado State University.
We are committed to creating a healthy, inclusive, and safe environment for our community members. If you have a concern, use our Campus Concern Reporting form.
Location: 178 Student Union BuildingFax: 970-247-7487Phone: 970-247-7508Email: Student-Well-Being@fortlewis.edu.
M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.