Police looking to curb violence at Burien library
BURIEN, Wash. -- Bad behavior by some teenagers is scaring people away from the Burien Library, but there are plans in the works to deal with the situation.
Police say the library is a popular hangout for teenagers, and some of them are fighting, swearing and intimidating people.
"They get their buddies together and start rumbling, you know," said library user Justin Campo.
Burien police say not all the kids coming to the library are acting up, and the ones that do cause trouble are easy to spot.
"(It's the kids) that are outside either smoking or swearing or being intimidating," said Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer.
Irasema Petralin used to taker her family to the library, but she said she won't take her kids there anymore.
"I see police all the time there. I see police and kids getting in trouble. It's kind of disturbing," she said.
A representative for the library said the problems have nothing to do with the library and actually reflect what's happening with teenagers throughout Burien.
Kimerer has heard that argument.
"I don't know if I would agree totally with that," he said. "I think there is some things that the library can do to help prevent this to help set down policies to enforce policies."
Kimerer said his officers are working with the library to increase patrol and start talking to kids before trouble starts.
"We are talking about cameras outside so we can have better monitoring of what's going on," he said.
Police are also working with local school resource officers to identify the kids who cause the most trouble.
Police say the library is a popular hangout for teenagers, and some of them are fighting, swearing and intimidating people.
"They get their buddies together and start rumbling, you know," said library user Justin Campo.
Burien police say not all the kids coming to the library are acting up, and the ones that do cause trouble are easy to spot.
"(It's the kids) that are outside either smoking or swearing or being intimidating," said Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer.
Irasema Petralin used to taker her family to the library, but she said she won't take her kids there anymore.
"I see police all the time there. I see police and kids getting in trouble. It's kind of disturbing," she said.
A representative for the library said the problems have nothing to do with the library and actually reflect what's happening with teenagers throughout Burien.
Kimerer has heard that argument.
"I don't know if I would agree totally with that," he said. "I think there is some things that the library can do to help prevent this to help set down policies to enforce policies."
Kimerer said his officers are working with the library to increase patrol and start talking to kids before trouble starts.
"We are talking about cameras outside so we can have better monitoring of what's going on," he said.
Police are also working with local school resource officers to identify the kids who cause the most trouble.
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