Full Notification

In response to the recent posts on social media, the Green Bay Police Department wants to correct some misinformation about the incident, and help educate the community as we still continue to receive complaints of people violating the Governor’s “Safer at Home Order.”

On Monday, April 6th at 6:49 PM, Officers responded to citizen’s complaint near Jackson Street and Cherry Street for a disturbance. The complainant called in to report that six juveniles were walking in the street and being verbally abusive toward the complainant. The complainant was able to walk away from the juveniles and called the police. The complainant requested that officers make contact with the juveniles.

Our officers quickly arrived in the area and located the juveniles at 115 N. Jackson St/Whitney Park playing basketball in the park. As we all know, the Governor’s Order No. 12 (Section 11c) prohibits basketball games and other games that violate the safe space requirements.

The officer and a police supervisor who was at the scene verbally explained that the juveniles were in violation, and requested that they leave the basketball courts. They refused. The officers issued a direct and lawful order for the juveniles to leave and one juvenile adamantly refused to comply to the lawful order. Since he refused to voluntarily comply, the officers took hold of the juveniles arm to escort him from the basketball court.

NOTE: This very common as the officers were trying to physically escort the juvenile as their verbal requests and orders to achieve compliance to the law failed.

In response, the juvenile thrashed his body in an apparent attempt to avoid being placed in handcuffs. Based on his uncooperative and physical behavior, our officers used the basketball hoop stand to stabilize him so they could put handcuffs on him with the goal of getting the juvenile to calm down with out the risk of injury. Subsequently, Officers lawfully detained him and transported the him home. He was turned over to his mother with a verbal warning and no other enforcement action was taken. Officers notified the parent that these actions were taken because her son was in violation of the Governor’s order and refused to comply with lawful directions from the officers.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Unfortunately we have had numerous complaints of similar problems in this area in the past. Since the fall of 2019 we have fielded multiple calls from neighbors and also from the Navarino Park Neighborhood Association reporting that youths often congregate in Navarino Park and surrounding streets, create disturbances, and make inappropriate remarks to the residents walking by. The residents are concerned enough about the behavior to call the police.

As a result, our community policing officers assigned to the area and their supervisor, Lt. Mahoney have continually worked with the neighborhood association to help solve the problem, reduce fear, and attempt to build a trusting, mutually respectful relationship between the residents and the youth in the neighborhood. Community members have been requesting enforcement action on the juveniles. Officers have been patrolling the area and have been asked to stop by the park to engage the kids. Our police surveillance/nuisance abatement vehicle was parked in the area in an effort to reduce the problems.

The police department is still fielding complaints that young people continue to play inappropriately in the parks in groups, violating the Governor’s order. Specifically, we are working on the complaints about Colburn Park today. We continue to stress the importance of social distancing and following the “Safer at Home” order. We need the parents help in having these conversations with their children. We just want compliance and we will continue to educate all residents daily to help prevent everyone from getting sick. Thank you for your help and time.