Police officers who knocked on the doors of several houses in West Vancouver where parties were underway on Halloween night didn’t come with treats. Instead party hosts at three addresses found themselves on the receiving end of hefty fines for violating the provincial health officer’s bans on large gatherings.
Police officers got their first call around 7 p.m. when a neighbour phoned to report a party in the 1800 block of Mathers Avenue.
When police arrived at the door, they found eight guests who had been invited from off the North Shore and the house decorated for a Halloween party, said Const. Kevin Goodmurphy, spokesman for the West Vancouver Police Department. Police left the owners with a host gift of a $2,300 fine.
Later, around 9:45 p.m. police were called to the 5300 block of Kew Cliff Road to attend what a neighbour described as a noisy party. Police spoke to adult homeowners who admitted they had organized a party for some teens, said Goodmurphy. Police shut the party down and 24 teens were observed leaving the home. The hosts were issued a $2,300 fine.
At 11:30 p.m. police received a call from the owner of a short-term rental property in the 1000 block of Crestline Road. Goodmurphy said the owner called police after observing a number of people arriving at the home through remote surveillance cameras set up on the property and becoming aware that a party was in progress.
Officers arrived to find about 20 people from Vancouver and Burnaby inside the home, not observing any COVID-19 safety protocols.
The party host was issued a $2,300 ticket. Police have also been in touch with West Vancouver bylaw officers, said Goodmurphy.
Short-term rentals are illegal in West Vancouver, although those rules are only enforced on complaint.
Under a recent order from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, no more than six people from outside an immediate household are allowed in a private home at one time.
Rounding out the COVID-19 scofflaws, West Vancouver Police also issued another $1,150 ticket Friday night to a person who broke their requirement to quarantine after entering Canada from another country.
Goodmurphy said officers were checking for drivers using cell phones at the Lions Gate Bridge when they pulled over a dual citizen who presented a Washington State driver’s licence. After checking with Canada Border Services and health officials, police determined the person was supposed to remain in quarantine until Nov. 7 after entering Canada from the United States. The individual was also handed a ticket for using an electronic device while driving.
Aside from house parties, police in West Vancouver also spent considerable time Halloween night responding to large groups of teens who gathered outside at local fields.
Around 8 pm. Reports came in of about 300 youth who had gathered on the sports field at Gleneagles Elementary, drinking and setting off fireworks. The group scattered when police arrived, but not before aiming some Roman-candle style fireworks at officers, said Goodmurphy.
A number of fireworks were seized, he added.
Also seized was a replica pistol being carried by one of the teens.
Goodmurphy added the fake gun was not part of a Halloween costume.
At 9:30 p.m. a neighbour near West Bay Elementary school reported a group of about 60 youth were lighting fireworks and aiming them at the school. Goodmurphy said the teens ran away when police showed up.
Halloween was also a busy night in North Vancouver, said Sgt. Peter DeVries, spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP, where groups of teens were also spotted letting off fireworks in a number of local parks and fields. DeVries said officers seized a number of fireworks and had double the volume of usual calls.
