'Lock them up': Upper Darby after school chaos may lead to arrests, police say
UPPER DARBY, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- At Pizza Heaven in Upper Darby, the after school rush after only one full day of school has become unbearable.
The kids, they say, from Upper Darby High School forced them to close early.
Corinne Gountis, of Pizza Heaven said, "It starts off with a group of 10 then 30 and then they're jumping on tables."
They say so many kids came in on Wednesday, acting up, they requested police outside their shop Thursday.
Next door, at Civera's Deli, we heard more of the same.
An employee there said, "They're not always respectful and that's what gets them not allowed in stores and places."
Well on Thursday, the intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and State Road was lined with police.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood says they have to keep the kids safe.
But it's coming at the expense of the safety of the community.
Chitwood said, "I got 15 guys, 15 officers are taken off the street. They're off the streets of Upper Darby to handle it."
He says the new policy after school here will be if kids don't go home and fail to listen to officers, it will be, "Lock them up. If they don't move when you ask them to move, lock them up. It's that simple."
The McDonald's here has taken matters into their own hands.
They lock the doors to kids during school let out.
Thursday we also spoke with Toni Westbrook outside of the McDonald's.
She says she has a message for the kids after school and fellow parents.
"Raise your kids so when they go into places like this they know how to act. Go in and get your stuff and come back out. Don't go in to hang out and fight. Go in, get your food and go home."
