A Dunedin family had to pack a bag and leave their house on Saturday night after a party across the street descended into chaos, police say.
The incident was part of an "out-of-control and noisy" weekend in the city, during which police received 24 calls in relation to noise and disorder at parties.
This stretched police resources to the limit between 10.30pm on Saturday and 4am yesterday.
A Northeast Valley resident, who declined to be named, said she, her husband and two young boys were forced to leave their house about midnight after a party at a flat across the street spilled out on to the road.
"It wasn't just the music. There was lots of laughing, screaming, crying and lots of swearing.
"It was disgraceful. They should be ashamed of themselves.
"I know it sounds hard to be intimidated by a poxy little git, but they were intimidating on Saturday night.
"So we packed a bag and went to a relative's house across the other side of town for the night."
Senior Sergeant Kelvin Lloyd said about 18 officers were tied up with similar incidents across the city - predominantly with out-of-control parties attended by young people, aged in their late teens to early 20s, and assisting noise control officers to turn off stereos.
Police arrested fewer than 10 people, despite being inundated with calls. More could have been arrested had resources permitted.
"It was a balancing act. We made minimal arrests so that we could move on to the next job. We exercised discretion."
In some of the cases, police could not attribute blame to the party organisers because they had problems with gate crashers, he said.
"But in the majority of the cases, the supervision and responsibility taken by the address occupants or party organisers was woeful."
He said host responsibility did not just apply to licensed premises.
The same responsibilities also applied to functions at private residences or public halls, and there should be an emphasis on security, he said.
"A good host should also ensure intoxication levels are not taken to excess.
"Some planning and oversight needs to be taken by the hosts."
