Police in Barbourville, Kentucky aren't clowning around when it comes to clowns.

The department's Facebook page says they have received numerous "clown complaints."

It appears that some people have begun walking around town in clown costumes and either scaring people or otherwise creating a distraction that police say can be dangerous for pedestrians and drivers.

It seems, that "clown sightings" and "clown pranks" are getting a lot of free publicity in Barbourville - a small town of less than 3,200 people nestled in the southeast heel of Kentucky - from both the "mainstream media and social media."

Tears of a clown

And that seems to be perpetuating more clowning around - by clowns, of course.

"While dressing up (as a clown) is not, in and of itself against the law, doing so in public and thereby creating an unnecessary sense of alarm is illegal," according to a posting on the Barbourville Police Department's Facebook page.

"Dressing as a clown and driving, walking or standing in public can create a dangerous situation for you and others," according to the police Facebook page. "This creates a risk of harm to you, of collisions near roadways and to bystanders and children who become frightened."

Apparently some folks in Barbourville don't have much patience or tolerance for clowns and their clowning around, because police are also warning people - those not wearing clown costumes - that clowns are legally protected, er, um, people too.

"Assaulting, shooting, attacking or otherwise injuring someone simply because they are wearing a (clown) costume can lead to criminal charges," the police warn. "As with any situation if you are placed in a situation of imminent harm quickly create a safe situation for you or children and contact police."

Finally, it seems, the police in Barbourville believe that all of this clowning around isn't really necessary, at least not in their little corner of Kentucky, and so they are asking the resident clowns to, "Please refrain from this unnecessary activity."

bik/kl (BKPD, WHAS)