Inuvik - The Inuvik Youth Centre is coming down on youth violence and one parent says it couldn't happen soon enough.

The Inuvik Youth Centre's board is re-examining the centre's policies on dealing with fights. A concerned parent wants to know what will be done after their child was attacked in front of the centre a few weeks ago. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

A father, who did not wish to be identified, said his youngest son was beaten in the centre during its hours of operation.

"I'm pretty disturbed about all this," he said.

He said his son was passing through the front of the centre when he was beaten by a number of youth.

"There were a few of them there," he said.

"We know who the boy was, he's been doing it to a lot of kids around there."

He said his son is a tall boy who doesn't like to fight but gets picked on for his size.

"He's big, but he doesn't like to get in confrontations," he said.

The boy's father, who lives in the south, said that after the beating, his son came to live with him.

With the recent fight, the father is concerned for the state of the town.

"It's getting terrible in Inuvik," he said.

He said the blame lies with the enforcement of the rules.

While he doesn't blame the youth centre for the attack, the father wants to know what will happen now.

"All this time I thought the youth centre was this safe place," he said.

"That sort of thing shouldn't happen."

According to Youth Centre board chair Rob Smith, the centre has a zero-tolerance policy towards violence.

"If a fight breaks out in the centre, we call the police," said Smith.

"If someone is fighting outside and it needs police attention, we call as well."

Smith added that the centre is also classified as a drug-free zone and the use of drugs and alcohol is strictly banned.

"The policy calls for the person to be removed from the building," he said.

He said the board is looking at the policy, to examine what changes need to be made.

"I think they need to be toughened up a little bit," said Smith.

He explained that a lot is left up to the discretion of the workers at the time.

"I don't think that's always fair to the workers," he said.

"We don't want anyone to get special treatment, or for anyone to feel neglected."

Cpl. Jim Strowbridge of the Inuvik RCMP said the detachment has received calls asking them to increase patrols near the centre.

As for the number of calls they receive about acts of violence or disturbances at the centre, Strowbridge said the information was not readily available and was not given before press time.