A Dunedin student and eight ''local ratbags'' were arrested at an out-of-control house party in Castle St on Saturday night.
About 10 police officers, including a dog handler, clashed with about 200 young people after the occupants of a Castle St house called for help to close down a party on their property.
Constable Dean Pearce said police were called at 11pm by the party organisers and officers spent an hour bringing the large group of revellers under control.
''The occupants were really good to deal with. They called us because there were about 200 people on their property and in their house.
''We got everyone out on to the street without too much trouble, but some of the local ratbags decided they didn't want to go home,'' Const Pearce said.
Some people threw glass bottles at police officers and one teenage male was arrested and charged with assault for allegedly spitting at an officer.
The nine arrested were all males aged between 15 and 19 years old.
In addition to the single assault charge, they were apprehended for obstructing police and behaving in a disorderly manner.
Const Pearce said six of those arrested were given pre-charge warnings and the other three would appear in the Dunedin District Court this week.
''We took them all back to the station and processed them as normal, but when people are eligible for pre-charge warnings, we give them that and, hopefully, they get the message.''
He said members of the University of Otago's Campus Watch group helped police during the incident, and their assistance was appreciated.
