Amid warnings and extra precautions from local police against so-called “teen takeovers,” the Taylor Summer Festival has gone ahead without incident so far.
The Taylor Police Department is using drones and extra officers as measures to head off the possibility of gatherings of misbehaving teens at the four-day festival, which kicked off Thursday. The department also warned on social media before the start of the festival that any criminal behavior such as vandalism, blocking traffic or fighting wouldn’t be tolerated.
Lt. Alex Stellini said Saturday afternoon the festival hadn’t had any incidents so far, and he wasn’t aware of any credible information about plans for a “teen takeover.”
“We do welcome everyone to come out and have a good time tonight,” he said. “Nothing to be concerned about, that we’re aware of, at this point.”
The Taylor Summer Festival is one of the city’s biggest annual events, with live music, a carnival and fireworks. It runs through Sunday.
Stellini said the drones used by the department can see about a mile away, which gives police a bird’s-eye view of the whole venue and allows them time to spot any potential problems coming into the festival.
“Teen takeovers” are a social media trend that brings crowds of kids to a location. Safety concerns have arisen on occasions when the gatherings have boiled over into in vandalism and fights. In downtown Detroit in May, a 14-year-old boy was shot, though he survived.
The Livonia Police Department put out a similar warning against the gatherings during the yearly Livonia Spree festival this week, which celebrates the anniversary of Livonia’s incorporation as a city. The Spree also implemented measures this year to limit crowd sizes and add extra security, including metal detectors and a fee for entry Sunday afternoon.
jcardi@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Amid security ramp-up, no ‘teen takeover’ taking over Taylor Summer Festival
Reporting by Julia Cardi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Julia Cardi, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
