North Vancouver and West Vancouver police are urging students and parents to prioritize safety and responsible behaviour ahead of traditional grad sleep-out events planned across the North Shore over the Labour Day weekend.
According to the news release by BC RCMP, the North Vancouver RCMP and West Vancouver Police Department will provide additional officers to enforce liquor, traffic and local bylaws during the celebrations.
Corporal Mansoor Sahak of the North Vancouver RCMP said previous grad sleep-outs have involved underage drinking, drug use, vandalism, littering and other behaviour that violates provincial, federal or municipal laws.
“While many students attending grad sleep-outs intend to have harmless fun, we’ve seen in previous years how these gatherings can quickly spiral into dangerous or unlawful situations,” Sahak said.
According to the news release, students will be held responsible for their actions, while parents are encouraged to have open conversations with their teens about the decisions they may face during the weekend.
Sgt. Carla Rhodes of the West Vancouver Police Department said parents can help guide their teenagers toward responsible choices by discussing both positive decisions and the potential consequences of poor judgment.
According to the news release, parents are encouraged to approach these conversations as a dialogue, listen to their teens’ perspectives, provide direct and factual information about substance use, and set clear expectations and boundaries.
