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A single mother in Berlin says her 8-year-old son and other young boys were exposed to inappropriate behavior by employees at the city’s Recreation Center, and as a result of her complaints, an investigation is underway by the police department.

Lynn Blais told NHJournal she is still in shock after hearing what happened to her son and other children in the care of the city employees at the Berlin Recreation Center.

“It’s not a safe environment for these kids,” Blais said.

Blais says three male staffers in their late teens and early 20s engaged her son and three other boys, all under the age of 10, in a disturbing game last week. The children were given candy by the staffers in exchange for going into the parking lot, entering unlocked cars, and removing something from the car.

The same staffers reportedly asked the four boys for photos of themselves in bathing suits, and one staffer even told her son that another staffer has a “crush” on him.

But Blais’s shock turned to horror when she told Berlin Recreation Director Duane “DJ” Johnson about the inappropriate behavior. She says Johnson told her that pedophilia humor among the staffers is tolerated. Johnson told Blais the young men were simply joking around, and he found the car game funny.

“The problem nowadays is that people are too sensitive,” Johnson reportedly told Blais.

Johnson is a popular figure in Berlin, having successfully coached Babe Ruth baseball in the city and the VFW Post 36 team. But he created controversy when recent photos posted to social media showed Johnson and the Post 36 baseball team posing with a giant inflatable penis following a victory.

The penis photos were taken outside of Johnson’s duties as a city employee, leaving the city unable to take any direct action, according to officials.

Blais said Monday she is alarmed by the staffers continuing to push the boundaries of their behavior with young children.

“This situation, and this behavior, are classic grooming behavior techniques,” Blais said.

Grooming refers to deliberate actions by an adult to build trust with a child (and often with the child’s caregivers or community) in order to lower boundaries and eventually enable sexual abuse or exploitation.

During their conversation last week, Johnson told Blais that the three staffers in question all come from important families in the area, she told NHJournal. Blais took that comment as a veiled threat to keep her quiet, but it didn’t work.

“My son and my family are just as important as any of these people,” Blais said.

Blais went to the Berlin Police Department last week to file a complaint, hoping to at least put a stop to the staffers’ inappropriate behavior. In the course of pushing police and city officials about the matter, Blais learned that none of the security cameras at the Recreation Center are working.

Johnson did not answer his phone on Monday, and his voicemail was full when NHJournal tried contacting him. His continued status as recreation director is in doubt.

On Monday, Johnson posted a vague statement on his Facebook account. “This is a very sad day for me ot truly is, i mean it just sucks ! But i will soldier on ! And im not gonna put it on here , im just upset leave it at that [sic],” Johnson wrote.

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City Manager Philip Warren told Blais during Monday’s city council meeting that he is addressing the issues at the Recreation Center. Warren could not give details when asked about Johnson’s job status, citing employment privacy laws.

“The appropriate action has been, and is being taken,” Warren said.

As for the three staffers who engaged in the disturbing behavior, Warren said they will not be back.

“We’ve taken very swift action to remedy this,” Warren said. “These individuals will not be working with our children for the city.”

Berlin Police Chief Jeff Lemoine acknowledged the investigation into Blais’ complaint is ongoing.

Blais got support this week from state Rep. Lori Korzen (R-Berlin), who said it’s time for the city of Berlin to ditch the “good-old-boys” style of politics that allows bad behavior to go unpunished.

“Berlin is a small city, with the good-old-boys network that they all went to school with each other,” Korzen said.

Korzen’s husband, Steven Korzen, is a member of the city council.

Working parents in and around Berlin, like Blais, rely on the Recreation Department as an affordable after-school option, Korzen said. These parents have to know their kids will be safe and not be made part of inappropriate jokes and games, she said.

“These are people’s babies. They shouldn’t be the butt of people’s jokes,” Korzen said.