Heavy fines handed down after party-filled Friday night in Kingston

Police and bylaw officers in Kingston, Ont., issued thousands of dollars in fines Friday night under anemergency orderdesigned to curb large parties that violate Ontario's COVID-19 rules.

A dozen partygoersat one residence near the corner of University Avenue and Earl Street were each given $2,000 fines after officers determined there were more than 25 people indoors, Kingston police said in a Saturday night press release.

Initially, officers only counted 25 people inside the residencebut found four more hiding in the basement including one trying to conceal themselves behind a hot water tank, police said.

The hefty $2,000 fines four times what they once were came into effect Sept. 10 when the city issued an emergency order following a rash of raucous, unsafe parties in Kingston's university district.

In all, police and bylaw officers issued 20 fines under the order in the university district Friday night, as well as38 citations for liquor act offences.

Four people were also arrested, including an 18-year-old Bradford, Ont., man who'd allegedly tried to place a bag over a Kingston police officer's head two weeks earlier, police said.