Williamsport Bureau of Police claim they will be holding parents and guardians accountable for certain illegal activity involving juveniles under their care.

That notice was part of a statement released in response to increases in criminal incidents and behavior among juveniles in the city and across the nation.

It was on a site that police use to deliver important tips and news called CRIMEWATCH, and the full statement is on the police web page.

Police acknowledged they need the public’s help by reporting suspicious behavior, curfew violations and disturbances involving juveniles.

“This is a community issue, and it will take a community effort to address it,” the report states.

“Addressing juvenile crime and repeat offenses requires involvement beyond law enforcement,” police said.

“Parents, guardians, schools and community organizations all play a role in prevention, accountability and guidance,” it read.

“The long-term solution to these issues starts at home. Too often, the juveniles we encounter lack structure, guidance and accountability. While our officers do their best to positively interact with our youth, we cannot fix in a few minutes what may have taken years to develop.”

Indeed, parents and guardians play the most important role and must take that responsibility seriously, according to the police.

While police vow to continue to work with schools and community partners to proactively address these issues, they are saying social media and scanner apps, where nearly every police call is shared in real time, are a contributing factor to hearing more about the juvenile issues.

“In many cases, the initial information broadcast over dispatch is limited or based on what is reported at the time, and it does not always reflect what officers ultimately find when they arrive on scene,” police said.

“While we have seen a slight increase in juvenile-related incidents, the constant exposure can make the issue appear larger than it actually is.”

Most of the juvenile incidents in Williamsport involve disturbances, curfew violations and disorderly conduct, police noted.

Although there have been some increases in more serious offenses, including vehicle thefts and gun-related crimes, they say.

Once enforcement action is taken, the cases are turned over to the courts that have procedures and guidelines they must follow, the statement explains.

“Like many of you, we share the frustration when juveniles are released and continue to re-offend,” the report states.

“We understand these incidents are concerning to the community and we take those concerns seriously,” police said, adding there will be more city police bike and foot patrols.