Have you wondered how being a teenager affects the police?

Greg Miller, Declyn Flitter, and I interviewed police officers and they said only around 5-10% of calls involve teenagers. Many of the calls involving teenagers, according to Sheriffs Deputy Jason Siedl, are family problems. Family problems include domestic violence and out of control teens.

The most common cause for an interaction involving the police and teenagers is through car accidents. Teenage car accidents occur most often after the first snowfall of the season. The reason for that is because some teenagers have little to no experience driving in snow. Another time when car accidents often occur is before and after the school day, when traffic is heavy.

Overall, the majority of calls from dispatch usually do not involve teens. According to the Chief of Police, Myron Wieland, the bulk of calls are about little things, but these little things are important.