Do you know any of the kids in this photo?

If you do, you should – no, you must – talk to them about obeying people such as police officers, firefighters and city workers concerned for their safety.

Don’t recognize any kids in this photo?

Well, you must talk to the kids you do know about obeying people such as police officers, firefighters and city workers concerned for their safety.

I was not-so-silently seething last week as I watched a couple dozen kids starting as young as maybe 5 or 6 willfully ignore warnings to stay back from a dangerous situation – repairing a sinkhole next to the Royal Hills Apartments.

Those warnings – along with a yellow caution ribbon that was moved back even farther but still ignored – came from two police officers, a firefighter, the city’s public works director and any number of city workers trying to fix a sewerline.

A handful of adults watched the repairs, but none took any role in helping ensure the children, some of whom reached into their early teens, stayed out of harm’s way.

For sure, the city workers did their part to keep the kids safe. One or two would take turns standing with the kids who simply wouldn’t move back. I would rather have seen our tax dollars going to repair the pipeline.

Here are my questions. Where were the parents? Where was a responsible adult? Certainly, someone in the family must have been concerned for these kids. It was pretty obvious, as adults came home from work and drove by the sinkhole, that this wasn’t a safe place for kids.

Someone from the city called for backup; a friendly police officer arrived. He talked with the kids, went to his cruiser for some business cards to hand out and even signed some. Now that’s community policing.

His parting comment?

“Stay away from the hole. OK?” said Officer Thompson.

Less than five minutes after he left, the kids were back. Some even brazenly walked on the pavement to get a closer view and take a picture.

There were two kids on rollerblades, teetering on the brink of the berm over the sinkhole. They were ordered back.

City workers did their part, repeatedly. Missing in action were the parents.

I asked Gregg Zimmerman, the city’s public works director, about this. He had a hand in keeping the kids safe, too, as he watched his crews until about midnight.

“I spent a lot of time pushing the kids back,” he said.

Certainly, city workers are concerned about public safety.

BUT …

“Our main purpose is to try to get the construction completed and not do crowd control,” he said. “It would have been helpful if the parents had helped keep back the kids.”

Sure, kids are curious. A sinkhole is certainly something you don’t see often, especially one with sewage flowing at the bottom.

BUT …

“It’s dangerous,” said Zimmerman. “You have only one chance in an accident. You don’t get to redo it.”

So, please, fellow parents. When there’s any type of construction going on in your neighborhood, make sure your kids aren’t making a nuisance of themselves, or worse, tempting fate.

Better yet, talk to them right now about being mindful of public officials. Maybe they’ll remember your warnings the next time they are home alone or out alone.