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Our center is in a downtown area. We are two blocks from a very large high school. School lets out at 2:15. We have been open for 6 years and while the high school has always been mildly annoying, it has become a big problem lately. There is a group of about 10-15 of them that walk by the school every day. This is during nap time. They scream at each other at the top of their lungs, they walk and sit on my wall (city property, but I have to maintain it), they get into fights, they scream the f bomb, they throw trash, and on and on and on. Every day it gets worse. I called the high school and told them I was having issues with their students fighting and cussing and waking up my kids from nap. "off school property and after school hours, not our problem". I call the city police. By the time the police come, they scatter. I have called police like 4 times so far this month. Nothing ever happens because the kids run when they see the cops. The cops just drive on by....never pursue them our do anything. I don't want to go out there and say anything because that will make them either escalate the behavior or worse yet, come back at night and maybe vandalize. Any suggestions? So sick of it. You cannot be nice or reason with these hooligans. The school and police could care less.
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Call the police before the kids get there and have them waiting for them.Each day is a fresh start
Never look back on regrets
Live life to the fullest
We only get one shot at this!!
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Didn't think of that Country. Hmmmmm I wonder if they would do that?Comment
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Get out your camera and start taking pictures....bet they stop coming back.
Or get a video camera and mount it so that they can see you are "under video surveillance" and will be able to pick out the bad ones from the evidence.Comment
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Hire one? Hear me out. Go out when they approach, say, hey guys can I talk to you a minute? I notice you guys walk by every day so I figure you must live close. I'm going to be doing some work this spring and I'll be looking for kids with more energy than I have. Anyone interested in making a little money in the spring in turn for some heavy lifting? Yard work? Or do you have any friends you know who might? It would be sporadic, I could call or text you when I have work.
You will get their attention. Once you make a connection it will be easier to talk to them. It may cost you a few 20's and some pizza but is it worth it?
Word gets around, miss sugar, yeah, she's nice, she pays cash and feeds us.
Bottom line, get them on your side. Good luck.Comment
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I know kids want to get away from adults to congregate.
Is there any way to have adults hanging around in the area for a while?
Maybe daycare parent volunteers, neighboring businesses with the same problems?
I know that is how they got all the kids from parking/drinking in the parking lot of our ONLY strip mall...:
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Laundry...now that I think back..I am sure that is what our local pizza place did when I was a teen...:::: Her's was about the only place that did not get tp'd at halloween.
- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.Comment
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The way to a teenagers heart, FOOD and CASH. LOLComment
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This is a tough one. The video camera can be used to identify the culprits to police. I would get a friend that has a couple of rottweilers to hang out at that corner during the end of school. I bet the hooligans will be menaced to the other side of the street. Barking sounds better then f-bombs.Comment
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Do you suppose there is any way you can get permission to let them paint a mural on that wall? Have them design it?
Expanding on the hiring idea....
Oh, and an opportunity for you to advertise you business for free. Call the local paper and let them know all about your "youth project".Comment
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I would video tape them and tell them you are going to post it on youtube every single day. I would send fliers out to all the neighbors and tell them you have a group of kids (pictures in tow) and ask for them to help identify them so you can start contacting their parents and hooking the parents up to their youtube videos. Maybe even contact the local news station so you can get them a little publicity.Comment
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The only new idea I have is on how to get the cops to be there before the children. One time when I worked at a center that was located in a church, we were having similar problems so the director called the local police department and told them how much we as a center, and an organization within the community, appreciated all the hard work the police did and would like to invite them to please feel free to stop by anytime they would like to use the bathroom, get a cup of coffee, sit in the parking lot and fill out paper work, etc. Soon, it was a cop hang out and nobody else seamed interested in hang out there.
Of course the director did also put it in the newsletter how much the center as a community organization appreciated the cops and wanted to support them, so please do not be alarmed if you see them hanging around we have invited them to take their lunch break here so we can show our support.Last edited by Michael; 02-17-2012, 05:54 PM.Comment
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Any chance you could pipe classical music, or worse ...."elevator music" outside your building? I've heard that's how some malls get rid of loitering teens who cause trouble. Otherwise, I do like the idea of offering to hire them to do work around the building. Maybe tell them anyone interested has to get at least 3 teacher references to give you so you can hopefully weed out any real trouble makers from the group.Comment
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hire them for labour work. flowers around the area they sit at so they can't. We have a problem with them too, they sit under the bridge and smoke dope (thats really nice) so one night I took the camera and started taking pictures of them, they never came back. But I live in a small community we all know who they are. Also, do the kids know its city propery, I bet you they don't. How about some no tresspassing signs.Comment
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