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Teen gatherings can be trouble, chiefs say
(by Mike Klimko - December 17, 2008)
Teen gatherings can be trouble, chiefs say
By MIKE KLIMKO
Trouble among teenagers who gather in large groups without supervision are rare occurrences, but it can turn violent, according to police in two suburbs near Solon.
As part of his research of teen centers for City Council and the city's planning commission, Solon Police Chief Wayne E. Godzich contacted the Bedford Heights and Oakwood police departments.
City officials are considering the request by owners of the T.S. Macklin Event Centre on Enterprise Parkway to host teen events. City planners have said teen centers are not a permitted use in the special commercial district.
Two incidents at teen events in Solon in the late 1990s, one involving a brewing fight between rival gangs that surrounded police, are examples of what can be expected, Mr. Godzich said. Police in the other communities have encountered similar issues with teenagers, he said in summarizing his reluctance to permit a teen center on Enterprise Parkway.
Teens can turn violent at times, Bedford Heights police Cmdr. Gary Serfilippi said, although police in his city have not seen trouble with teens in recent years.
His city does not have a teen center. But Mr. Serfilippi said, "All communities can have trouble with teens. We do have a rec center. And security is provided. There never are any issues where they are unsupervised and just go and congregate."
The recreation center can be rented privately by members, Mr. Serfilippi said. Members can contact off-duty police to provide security, he said.
There is no teen center in Oakwood, Oakwood Police Chief Robert Semik said, but a bowling alley in the community often hosts teen events.
"For the most part, the kids are OK," Mr. Semik said. "What we see is promoters allowing more people in a venue than usual. Depending on the size of a crowd, we'll have four to six off-duty police on scene," he said.
"With numbers, there is a potential for trouble. When there's a fight, it's a good one, about once or twice a year. All it takes is for one incendiary comment to cause trouble."
Some trouble can be attributed to school pride between students, Mr. Semik said, especially since the bowling alley draws students from Hudson, Solon and Twinsburg.
Regarding Oakwood police, Mr. Godzich said, "Their policy is, when they have any trouble at all over there, it's an immediate arrest. They don't talk nice to them, or say, 'Don't do this anymore,'" he said. "Because they have the same type of concerns. Once this thing starts to roll, any momentum in a negative way, the kids pick up on it. And you have problems."
Solon police would not have any problem with a promoter providing private security for a teen event, he said, rather than contracting off-duty police.
"Sometimes, I can't bring enough officers to a certain event," Mr. Godzich said, "because they're just not available because of vacations or people being off sick. Sometimes, they don't want to work it."
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