For about 20 years, the Edge Skate Park at 83rd Street in downtown Redmond has been a place for skateboarders of all ages and skill levels to gather and practice their skills.

But some of the non-skating-related activity has one regular park goer concerned about his and others’ safety.

The man, who has asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about his safety, has been skating at the park — located at the corner of Northeast 83 Street and 161st Avenue Northeast — for about a year and a half. And during this time, he said he has seen teens — mostly high school-aged, though sometimes they are middle school-aged — using and distributing drugs at the park. He said, on occasion, there has also been violence.

The man, a 27-year-old Redmond resident, said some of the teens also exhibit a gang-like mentality, creating their own rules at the park.

He said he has brought his concerns to Redmond City Council and the Redmond Police Department (RPD).

“They know there’s an issue there,” he said.

Janessa Rosick, public information officer for RPD, said so far in 2014, Redmond police has received 32 calls, though about half of the calls were not for police. She said these were for things such as an agency assist or a medical call. She said five of the calls this year have been for warrants and four were for found property. Police received one or two calls for disorderly conduct and two calls for assault.

One of the assault calls came within the last couple of weeks for a fight at the park. The concerned Redmond resident witnessed the incident and said one of the individuals involved used a set of spiked brass knuckles, which were left at the scene when the police were called and arrived on the scene. The resident described the fight as five against one, with the group of teens and young adults beating up an individual. He said he thinks the fight may have started over a possible stolen cell phone.

Regarding this incident, Rosick said they were not able to identify the victim and the reporting party did not stay on the scene when police arrived. She added that there was one individual who matched the description of one of the suspects, but they denied any involvement. Rosick added that officers located the brass knuckles in a nearby trash can.

After witnessing this altercation, the concerned skate park goer said he would like to see a fence put up around the park so there is only one entrance and exit. He said when the police arrived on the scene, those involved dispersed in all different directions as the park is out in the open. If there was only one entrance and exit, he said, it would have been easier to apprehend suspects.

Rosick said when they see an incident such as this occur at the park, RPD will increase patrols in the area for a little while. If they see an ongoing issue, she said the increased patrols will last longer.

Ken Wong, administrator for the City of Redmond’s teen programs, added that if there is an ongoing problem at the skate park, they will talk with some of the regulars at the park and ask for their help to monitor the situation, explaining to them that if problems persist, they will have to close the park. He said in the few cases in which they have done this — for example, when they had graffiti and tagging issues at the park — things resolved themselves.

Rosick said between police patrols and activities and events put on by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, the skate park is well attended.

“There’s a pretty significant presence there throughout the day,” Rosick said.

Wong added, “We try to get out there as much as we can.”

He said the city holds activities at the skate park such as an annual skateboard competition and formal instruction for those who want to learn how to skate.

Despite what Wong and Rosick say about the city’s presence at the park, the concerned skateboarder remains skeptical and said he would like to see a regular adult presence from the city onsite specifically to manage the park and help prevent the drug use and occasional violence he sees.

Rosick said the skate park is a low call-for-service area and looking at the calls they do receive, there is nothing to warrant a city employee assigned specifically to the park.

“It’s an incredibly safe park,” she said.