Partygoers were gathering in the backyard when the police arrived at one Hunt Street house party. Two girls who were trying to sneak away were stopped, and the of-age attendees started warning the younger crowd to simply put down their cups.

“Everyone looks out for each other. No one wants to see anyone get busted,” said Mike Samstad, senior in management.

Many students advised underage people to remain calm when the police arrive.

“All [the police] want to do is clear out the underage people,” Samstad said. “The worst thing you can do is run.”

People at this house party April 9 began leaving the premises, but the over-21 crowd hung around, knowing they didn’t have much to worry about.

Lisa Simpson, sophomore in pre-advertising, said the police repeatedly asked to speak with the residents of the house and told everyone else to leave the party. She said they searched behind the bar and walked around with a video camera.

“The police said it was a nuisance party,” Simpson said.

Several people questioned the reason for the video camera.

“It was like a cross between ‘Girls Gone Wild’ and ‘Cops,'” said Mike Pittman, senior in agricultural systems and technology.

Mayor Ted Tedesco — working on the city’s Party Response Team — accompanied the police to the party. He stood outside and talked with partygoers.

“I offered him a beer,” Pittman said. “He turned it down.”

Tedesco said there was a positive response to the police at the Hunt Street party.

“There was a good frame of mind,” he said. Tedesco said when he goes out with the Ames Police party response team, the group is not out to write tickets. He said it is a “compassionate approach” to phoned-in complaints.

At a Lincoln Way party, Jacob Wollner, senior in elementary education, said Ames Police are “decent” and “fair” in dealing with house party busts.

“When things get out of hand, they do their job,” Wollner said. “People just need to realize they can’t get away with everything.”

Samstad said he thinks the police in Ames are lenient, also.

“I’m from Minneapolis, and they will definitely Breathalyze you there,” he said. “Here in Iowa, all you have to do is put your beer down.”