Antioch library reopens after fires, lewd behavior
ANTIOCH, Calif. (KRON) — The Antioch Library reopened Tuesday just days after it was closed indefinitely for security reasons. Contra Costa County runs the facility and decided over the weekend to add an armed security guard to the property.
Patrons walking up to the building when it opened at noon on Tuesday were greeted by an armed security guard standing out front. This comes after the library announced on Friday that an uptick in security incidents required an immediate closure.
Library spokesperson Brooke Converse said last week was the tipping point in a long list of safety issues.
“There were threats to staff and library property,” said Converse. “There were damages to staff and library property multiple times, including incidents of things being set on fire. There have been multiple incidents of people having sexual intercourse inside and outside the library in full view of patrons and staff.”
On Saturday, the county shared that it had negotiated an emergency contract with a private security company. The agreement provides a full-time armed guard with a patrol car outside the library to monitor the property and parking lot.
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This is in addition to the unarmed full-time security guard that is already inside.
On Friday, Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe sent a letter to the county administrator expressing concern over the abrupt closure, claiming no one from the city or police department was aware of the public safety problem and, that the closure blindsided them.
The library says that in many cases, police reports were filed.
Antioch Middle School and Antioch High School are across the street. Converse declined to make a connection between the schools and the security incidents.
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