Pontiac leaders take new approach to teen takeovers, create safe space for teens to gather

Teen "takeovers" have been popping up nationwide, including in Detroit and Pontiac. 

Community leaders and business owners in Pontiac say they are taking a new approach, meeting directly with young people involved and working to create safe spaces and positive outlets.

City officials say the goal is to address the root cause behind the gatherings, rather than simply cracking down on them. Pontiac City Councilman Chris Jackson helped plan a teen "kickback" at Elektricity, aimed at giving teens a place to connect. He says after speaking with one of the teens who organized a previous takeover, the message was clear.

"Once we all came together and had a conversation, it was really that," Jackson said. "They were saying we don't have anything to do. This is our downtown too. This is our city. We just want to be a part of the fabric of the city. We had a lot of things growing up — why don't we give them the opportunity to do the same?"

Jackson said those conversations helped shift the focus from enforcement to engagement. He believes including young people in community efforts, rather than vilifying them, is key to long-term change.

"The more we can make our young people a part of what we're trying to accomplish, as opposed to villainizing them… the better off we will be," he said.

Elektricity provided space for free, and Clothing Café owner Tyrone Thomas contributed by giving away shoes and shirts.

"I feel like this is a good opportunity for these kids because we don't get this stuff in Pontiac, cuz you know, they always be shutting stuff down, so I feel like this is a good opportunity," Kiki, a Pontiac teen who attended the event, said.

Thomas said the effort is about helping young people channel their energy in a positive way.

"A lot of times people have creativity; they just don't know how to express it," Thomas said. "So if we can instill that in the youth, instill that in the younger crowd, I think it will do well."

The kickback was scheduled to run from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, offering teens a supervised and structured environment to gather.

The idea for the event came from Pontiac City Council President Adrian Austin, who noticed last week that some on social media were planning the first teen takeover in the area.

"I met with the kids who organized the first teen takeover, and I wanted to understand what was on their mind and they said, 'We wanted to party, and listen to music and dance.' And I said, 'Wow, if we created a safe atmosphere for you to do that, could you think about turning that narrative from a takeover to a kickback?" Austin said.

The teen takeover in Pontiac never materialized.

At the same time, law enforcement says they are taking steps to ensure the event and anything that follows remains safe. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said deputies will have a strong presence and are prepared to intervene if necessary.

"We're going to have a large presence like we always do when there are events to make sure everyone can have fun, but be safe," Bouchard said. "And if someone tries to cross a line — that it takes it into an illegal or dangerous direction — then we will intervene."

Bouchard also said his office is monitoring social media, where many of these gatherings are organized, in an effort to stop potential takeovers before they start. He added that extra patrols will be in place to make sure that once the event wraps up, it doesn't spill into nearby businesses or public spaces downtown.

Community leaders say the combination of outreach and enforcement is critical, giving teens a place to belong while keeping the broader community safe.