The weather’s getting warmer, but homeless people who are seeking shelter during the remaining weeks of winter are creating a problem in the Siouxland area. Betsy Thompson, director of the Sioux City Public Library, says the facility is becoming a refuge from the cold for a segment of the population.
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The problem is that some of the homeless are coming in to sleep, clean themselves in the restrooms, or they’re intoxicated. Sioux City police have responded to more than 30 calls to the library in recent weeks. Thompson says the library is there for all people as long as they conduct themselves properly.
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Twenty of the 31 police calls this year resulted in formal reports. Police Sergeant Scott Hatting says most of the calls to the library are dealt with quickly as police headquarters is just across the street.
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That applies to other public facilities as well. Sioux City leaders have approved around $46,000 dollars for additional security at the downtown library, but Thompson says it hasn’t yet been decided how to best use the funds.