N.C. Raves: Tighter security
Raves, media, and the law : Tighter security (9 of 9)

 

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Rave promoters like Michael Pryal, center, work to keep police, parents, and ravers happy. Pryal turned the lights on at his rave so police officers could keep better tabs on partygoers. MORE
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Copyright ©1998 Jim Webb. All rights reserved.


It's a struggle for promoters to keep security tight and make sure partygoers have a good time. Partly as a result of the increased interest from media, parents, and the police, security at many raves in North Carolina has tightened in the past few years. Many rave organizers hire off-duty police officers as security guards, impose age limits, search ravegoers at the door, and charge for re-entry after leaving the building.

On the other hand, ravegoers complain when ultratight security keeps them from bringing in bottled water or a blanket to sit on during the many hours they're inside. And security, no matter how tight, won't keep all drug use out. "In the nineties, you're going to have drug use at all parties," says Durham police officer Anthony Smith. "If kids know it's a strict, controlled environment, they're going to get high before they get there ... more than likely, they're not going to bring it in. It's going to be in the car, where they can go out and make a deal."

"I fully welcome any curious parent to come in and walk around the club during a party, no problem at all," says Ed Lebrun, who organizes the monthly 'First Friday' raves at Babylon, a nightclub in Greensboro. "In the vast majority of cases, the adults have come back with positive comments."

Officer Anthony Smith wouldn't be one of those parents. "If my son or daughter came to me and wanted to go to one of these rave parties, I'd go through the roof, based on what I've seen come out of one of these parties." TOP