N.C. Raves: Closing the door
Raves, media, and the law : Closing the door (4 of 9)

 

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Police have grown interested in raves because of overcrowding, drug dealers and overdoses. Here, officers worried about fire hazards and drug use close the doors at a Durham rave. MORE
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Copyright ©1998 Jim Webb. All rights reserved.


Police and the media in North Carolina have become more interested in presence of drugs at raves, especially after raids in Washington, D.C., Orlando and Baltimore yielded lots of drugs and even more publicity.

Raves' reputation seems to precede them, which some ravers consider unfair. "When you go to any bar in town, a normal dance bar on Franklin Street [in Chapel Hill] or Raleigh, what percentage of people are on drugs there?" asks Todd Morman, a long-time raver. "How many people smoked themselves up before they went out, or bumped with some cocaine? Raving gets singled out because its history was definitely tied in with ecstasy and hallucinogens."

"I'm seeing a group of underage persons that are extremely out of control, in my opinion," said North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement officer Chris Waters while patrolling his first rave. "You walk into an establishment and it's dark -- when I have to use my flashlight, the place is too dark -- and you walk downstairs and smell marijuana burning, it's a violation of ... state law," he said. Waters made no arrests, but he had the lights turned up, and when the nightclub's manager couldn't produce an occupancy certificate, the fire marshal ordered the club's doors closed for the night -- though the party was allowed to continue inside. TOP


Though drug use at raves may be an issue, most ravegoers and police agree that violence rarely is. Johnnie Hudson, a bouncer for 13 years, mostly mingles with partygoers when he works a rave. "These are the most non-violent parties I've ever seen," Hudson says. Durham police officer Anthony Smith agrees. "It's a very mellow crowd of individuals," says Smith. "No weapons, no guns." TOP