The police are expecting another busy end-of-school weekend., with young people expected to gather in familiar places to celebrate the start of the summer holidays on Saturday 1 June 2024. We would like to remind young people and their guardians of a few things to ensure a safe evening.
The police will be out and about in places popular with young people, such as parks and beaches, as well as the yards of daycare centres and schools. The aim is to prevent disturbances and accidents, and young people from becoming victims of crime. Active supervision will be carried out in cooperation with, for example, social services and youth services.
The police aim to ensure that no young person becomes a victim of crime
“The past few years have shown that even though the partying has mostly been peaceful, as the evening gets darker, the places where people gather become unsafe. Some partygoers are very intoxicated and the risk of crime and disturbances increases considerably,” says Chief Inspector Katja Nissinen at Helsinki Police Department.
On the end of school Saturday in 2023, the police cleared Kaivopuisto park, where thousands of underage young people had gathered late at night. The police had become aware of incidents where young people had let off fireworks at each other and had thrown bottles. The park was cleared to maintain public order and safety, and to protect against crime and disturbance.
“The police have had to intervene in fights and disturbances in places such as Hietaniemi beach and Kaivopuisto park. Our job is not to prevent young people from partying and enjoying their evening, but to ensure that no young person ends up a victim of crime or is seriously injured,” Nissinen points out.
The police will intensify surveillance in the above-mentioned places and ensure that the evening is spent safely. If disturbances and incidents increase significantly during the evening, the police may clear the areas. There are always legitimate reasons for clearing parks and public areas.
The police will crack down on the consumption of alcohol by minors, and inspect at the most traditional places where people gather to party already in the early evening. The police will intervene in young people's alcohol consumption by, for example, disposing of alcoholic beverages in the possession of minors. One of the ways the police deal with young people's alcohol consumption is by disposing of their drinks. If a minor is in possession of alcohol, the police can write a fine and inform the guardian and the child welfare authority. In addition to possession of alcohol, other key control issues include drugs and bladed weapons.
A lot of safe adults will be out and about in the city during the night
In addition to the police and emergency services, youth work professionals and volunteers, such as representatives of the Finnish Red Cross, Saapas operations and the City of Helsinki Youth Service, will be out and about among young people on Saturday. All actors will be out and about to ensure that young people have a safe evening and that help is close at hand. In an emergency situation, always call 112.
Parents of minors and young people are urged to find out about their children’s plans. During the evening, it is a good idea to contact the young person and make sure that everything is OK. Guardians of minors should answer calls from unknown numbers during the evening and night, as the caller may be an authority.
“The most important thing is to remember to look out for your friends and to ask for help when you need it. We would like to congratulate all school leavers and wish everyone a great start to the summer,” Nissinen sums up.
