Ft. Bend County sheriff shuts down pool party plan via tweet

Friday, July 1, 2016

FBCO eyes tweet promoting pool party with beer, pot

The FBCSO and a homeowner's association are onto a tweet advertising beer, pizza and marijuana at a neighborhood pool.

FORT BEND COUNTY (KTRK) -- A homeowner's association and law enforcement appear to have turned the tables on those who advertised an unapproved after-hours party in the neighborhood's private pool.

The Sienna Plantation Residential Association says a lifeguard first made them aware of the tweet, which advertised a July 7 party from "7-until," drinks, food and "gas," which law enforcement says is a reference to marijuana.

Since the picture was that of the Sienna Plantation community pool, the residential association reached out to the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office.

"Fliers that go around on social media like that can get spread pretty quickly," said Fort Bend Sheriffs Major Chad Norvell.

The SPRA responded online in the same fashion as the party was advertised, tweeting that an "unapproved party" was planned for the pool and asking if deputies could "make it." The FBCSO responded: "Sure! We have plenty of room in our jail for trespassers."

The neighborhood then tweeted the same flier previously put out but the words "party cancelled" stamped across.

"Immediately some of the kids said, we were gonna ask for permission. We're not gonna come," said the Sienna Plantations Residential Association's Sandy Denton.

That's in fact what those advertising the party told us, too. In response to an inquiry on Twitter by Eyewitness News, one wrote, "We planned on getting the party approved." He continued, "...nothing on our flier specifically said the pool party was at the Sienna pool." The person who wrote that refused our request for interview and said finally, "The party is cancelled."

"They want to have a pool party, there's a right way of going about it," said property owner Jonathan Peck.

Homeowners seem impressed the association and law enforcement turned the tables on the party planners, using the same social media they'd employed in the first place.

"Maybe they'll know now: It's not going to happen. We're not going to allow it," said homeowner Joann Huff.

Just in case, the association says it will staff the pool with off duty deputies around the time of the party to make sure nothing happens that shouldn't.