A 2nd-degree assault at the Connie Morella Bethesda Library drew a significant police response yesterday afternoon. The assault was reported at the library, which is located at 7400 Arlington Road, at 4:56 PM Sunday. A reader reports that five Montgomery County police cruisers responded to the incident.
The assault took place at a peak library time for children and families during daylight hours. What a sad statement about the ultra-low quality-of-life standards applied by our feckless Montgomery County Council in the 21st-century. Bethesda residents are paying too outrageous a level of taxes to have to put up with this [garbage], much less have their kids exposed to it.
29 comments:
Yet another over-the-top reaction here.
My understanding is that libraries legally have almost no capacity to exclude individual patrons (especially ones who have not previously committed offenses in the library).
This type of situation could have happened in any public library in the country.
Instead of reflexively condemning the County Council, you should be applauding the response of the Montgomery County Police (which the original commenter implied was excessive, in terms of number of units/officers involved, and what he or she perceived to be their attitude).
"A peak library time for children and families. . . ."
Then, jump to the conclusion--without even indicating where in this library this incident took place--that "kids [were] exposed to it."
That's simply lazy reporting.
I'm surely not the only reader who appreciates getting your timely (and free!) updates, most of which are available nowhere else; but, maybe write a little more carefully.
And an alleged rape occurred there as well and no one says a word. Nice.
This follows the reported rape/sexual assault at the library last month.
I stand by my opinion of the County Council - I grew up going regularly to Little Falls Library and the Bethesda Library, and nothing like this was happening there, much less on a regular basis. What's happened to our community, and why do we continue to elect and empower the the people who have done this to us?
I'm not sure if you are Evan, Kristen or Will, but you def work on the council
2:27 - Robert, me too. Great questions which few seem to be able or interested to answer. It never was like this years ago. Never.
What, exactly, would you have the County Council do about the library to make sure these types of activities don't happen there again?
Short of stationing a police officer there?
Libraries generally can't control who enters.
I agree that this is a terrible trend, but automatically blaming the Council, without at least suggesting what they should be doing differently, is short-sighted, at best.
And, no, I'm not a member of, and don't work for or with anyone on, the Council.
I was there yesterday AND today looking at the used book rack while overhearing what the librarians told the MoCo PoPo just inside the foyer. I won't repeat nor sensationalize what I heard, but threats were made and directed at staff. The homeless criminal perp escaped before officers arrived and even the worst troublemaker cannot be banned for more than 30 days since it's MoCo property (thanks hellrich) but it it was private property someone can be trespassed for a year. Library's used to be a quiet place and have devolved into a trouble magnet hangout with calls for help from employees on a daily basis. We all know that this maggot belongs incarcerated or institutionalized but will most likely continue to be free to continue to wreak havoc on all those in his path. Now cue all the left wing pinko comments of people who don't have a problem with our of control behavior.
Robert, I wish you would credit folks like me instead of stealing the scoop, the 5 PoPo was my quote that you didn't publish, plus I have pictures from yesterday. Why can't we upload them here? Since I seem to be everywhere, can I be your right hand man on here with Admin access perhaps??
One negative of homeless shelters is residents are out during the day hassling people and creating mischief. Able bodied but not working, so lots of time on their hands. Many are mentally ill but not receiving services.
Alas, I'd rather have the shelters than having homeless men trespass in Bethesda apartment/condo buildings for the night. Yes, it's cold, but no, you can't camp out in our lobby all night with your pitbull.
Squelching the police scanners has been successful in keeping much of this quiet and unreported.
Bingo! I'm fortunate by not purchasing that coveted Uniden digital scanner before MoCo started encrypting everything.
Sounds like a significant police response from Robert’s article. What’s to complain about there?
I’m in favor of penalizing and institutionalizing these folks. At the same time, folks are acting like it only happens in Montgomery County.
I can tell you from several thousand miles away that the same problems are happening here, and places in beteeen.
Tell that to the rape victim.
My reflex was to disagree. Then I thought: I'll do a random search for an assault at a library in a perceived safe, affluent suburb and chose Carmen, Indiana. And interestingly found this incident that happened recently: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/police-investigating-fight-involving-juveniles-carmel-clay-public-library/531-9f48289c-e3b1-4da4-ab31-ae4538a7b0d9.
A good 'life lesson' and dose of street reality for the moms, nannies, and babies usually hanging out.
Kids are being indoctrinated in schools and uni to hate conservatism so they grow up to be “progressive” lemmings who can only vote for someone with a “D” next to their name.
6:40 - For of all, it's Carmel not Carmen, IN. I've been there and it's very upscale. Former VP, Dan Quayle is from there. A fight with that many people inside a public library is certainly an issue but not sure it's exactly the same as the one here. No matter what, this is a new thing and comes on the heels of an alleged sexual assault inside the library while visitors were enjoying library amenities. Not good.
6:41am reminds me of the many hotel reviews from tourists visiting NYC, DC or other major city. They'll deduct a star because they saw a "homeless" person somewhere near the hotel.
Apparently, there's a large swath of our country that don't see homelessness on a daily basis.
8:54, you're conveniently forgetting his outbreak, or assault, or whatever.... it's more than merely homeless.
I would have security in libraries. We have this assault following the sexual assault there and just year the person exposing self in Rockville library. He only was charged with a misdemeanor and I am guessing the prosecutors recommended little or no sentence. Security officers are sadly becoming a necessity
At a certain point, you need a police officer stationed there. We've reached that point.
The MoCo Police Department is less than half the size it needs to be for the size of the population it serves. It's true. Look at the Staff Report to the Montgomery County Council on this. Even if it was doubled in size, it would still be at the lower end of what it should be. Blame for this lies squarely with the County Council, which does not fund for enough police in the County. It's a disgrace and people are hurt/killed because of it.
What's the point of security if they don't enforce existing laws? Because of this, people think that reacting to bad policy is the answer? There are many cities where people don't need to worry about this and other types of crime. Unfortunately liberals fleeing places because of havoc caused by the people they voted for move to greener pastures and slowly destroy those areas by voting for the same idiocy that ruined where they came from.
4:46 - Correct. This would never happen and in fact, would be nearly impossible in Mt. Pleasant, SC as an example.
10:27 - That's an excellent point and spot on accurate. I know quite a few police who've gotten out and taken early retirement. It's bad but what does MoCo do, raise taxes, ban things and restrict ICE as much as possible in favor of illegal gang bangers and rapists. Thanks voters.
The snowflakes have turned to snowcrete.
I moved out of the county in '24 and come back for contract work monthly and now go to the libraries most days after work, mostly Connie Morella, Kensington and Wheaton. Kensington and Morella are indeed a hangout for the homeless, who smell so bad it is disgusting. The stench rises above them like Pigpen in the Charlie Brown cartoons. You have to move away from them. The one guy just up and starts talking loud about god knows what, he actually seems like he was intelligent at one point. I have seen the staff throw him out once, not 100% sure why. Kensington also has its share of stinky, filthy homeless. It seems Wheaton, where nearly no patrons have any manners whatsoever, doesn't have the homeless problem for some reason.
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