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Saturday night Boise City Police blocked off Michigan Avenue from Rossi Street to Beacon Street to “break up a party,” one officer said.
Five or six patrol cars surrounded the block. Witnesses said there were others circling the neighborhood. Groups of neighbors stood outside their houses, huddled together. They seemed confused and astonished by the spectacle. Officers lit flares in the street and set up traffic cones.
Police did not let anyone who didn’t live on the street park on the block.
The purported party was taking place at 1214 Michigan Ave. Seventeen people were counted at the party between 9:30-10 p.m.
“I feel that more cops have showed up to this party than actual attendance,” Zacariah Appleby, a resident of the house, said.
The police set up the roadblock around 9 p.m. and left around 12:30 a.m.
“The funny part is they told me they were here for a ‘Beanies and Bikinis’ party they found out about on Facebook,” Kenneth Mark Gunderson III, a resident at the house, said. “The Sgt. said he was furious and fed up with what’s been going on at Michigan Avenue. Initially he told me he knew it was a fraternity party but it wasn’t at a fraternity house. [Officer Chris Wirshing] said I couldn’t talk my way out of this because he knew there was a party. Funny thing is he was a founder of Alpha Kappa Lamda house and he said he knew what I was going through and he told me to make sure this party didn’t happen . I apologized for having a few people at my house.”
“If they did (look on Facebook), then I guess the were doing some pretty good research,” BPD Lt. Doney said Sunday. “I’ve never even heard of that site myself. We have younger officers who have navigated the social realm. We have officers who go online and look.”
The “party” was supposedly for a Brazilian foreign exchange student’s birthday. Christopher Burks, a neighbor, said he overheard BPD banter while he was standing outside.
“I heard cops laughin’, jokin’ around saying they were gonna call this thing ‘operation Brazilian,” Burks said.
The only ticket given out was to Michael Bobic, for jaywalking.
“At first I was rollin’ up on my bike and I saw a cop in front of me,” Bovich said. “I flashed him and he turned left. I followed. After that I called 911 to ask what was goin’ on as a concerned neighbor. I was directed to the Sgt. Johnson who said they were trying to stop a party from happening.”
Bobic, who plans to fight the jaywalking charge, said the whole operation seemed fishy.
“I don’t understand why they try to stop a party so close to campus,” Bobic said. “People are able to walk so they wouldn’t be driving. I was taking pictures of the road block and then he (Officer Baughman) approached me and cited me for jay walking.”
According to Boise Municipal Code 6-01-08 it is illegal to have a party inside the city that is too loud, disturbing to neighbors or hosts underage drinkers.
Christopher Burks, a neighbor, said he knew nothing about parking complaints.
“I live right across the street and I’ve never filed a parking complaint,” Burks said. “I park in front of my house all the time.”
“There were some parking problems that our department was dealing with on that street,” Lt. Doney said. “If we prevented any crime from happening, that is a public safety issue.”
Burks has had his own issues with BPD.
“In September I had to file through the ombudsman office for harassment,” Burks said. “One of the police officers [was] calling me his new little project.”
Police also approached Barry E. Newell (House Manager of Kappa Rho chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which is across the street) Saturday night.
“Cops knocked on my door and specifically asked about the party,” Newell said. “When I talked to the media (KIVI Channel 6 also covered the operation) they said the cops denied being here for a party, yet it’s the weekend and it’s free parking everywhere.
What I find is ironic is that our house was vandalized last night and only two cops showed up and left within minutes but tonight there were a total of 10 separate police vehicles surrounding the neighborhood for last three hours for a party that didn’t happen.”
The fraternity released an official statement Sunday afternoon.
“The Kappa Rho Chapter of Kappa Sigma was not holding any events on the night of Jan. 26. To our knowledge there were six patrol cars blocking Michigan Avenue between Beacon and Rossi, and there were other cars patrolling the area."
MATT ALMEIDA
