Posted on 11/13/2004 1:40:34 PM PST by freepatriot32
MIAMI (Nov. 13) - Miami-Dade police have acknowledged using a stun gun on a second youngster just weeks after subduing a 55-pound first-grader with a 50,000-volt shock.
In the second instance, a 15-year-veteran officer used his Taser to immobilize a 12-year-old girl who was playing hooky from school.
Police Director Bobby Parker defended the decision to shock the 6-year-old boy on Oct. 20 because he was threatening to injure himself with a shard of glass he was holding, but he said Friday that he could not defend the decision to shock the fleeing girl, who was apparently drunk.
According to the incident report, officer William Nelson responded to a complaint that children were swimming in a pool, drinking alcohol and smoking cigars about 11 a.m. on Nov. 5.
Nelson said he noticed the girl was intoxicated and told her to get dressed so he could take her back to school.
"While walking the girl to the police car, she took off running through the parking lot," Nelson wrote in his report.
Nelson, 38, said he chased her and yelled several times for her to stop. Nelson said he pulled out the Taser and fired when the girl began to run into traffic. The electric probes hit the girl in the neck and lower back, immobilizing her with 50,000 volts.
Nelson said he fired "for my safety along with the girl's safety." Paramedics treated the girl, who went home with her mother.
Parker said department policy permits officers to use the Taser to apprehend someone, but he said he expected his officers to use better judgment, especially when police had no plans to arrest someone playing hooky.
The first incident had already exposed the department to more criticism for its use of Tasers, which it has begun distributing in greater numbers to officers.
"The police could have handled this better," said the 6-year-old boy's mother, Kathy Rojas. "They did not have to shoot him."
Parker said that, in light of the disclosure of the second incident, the department will review its policy.
No, they use pepperspray on their own kids.
I can see the first one but the second one..not really
I don't like the idea of the cops using tasers on kids but I have some serious questions about the parents of the 6 year old to begin with.
Nelson, 38, said he chased her and yelled several times for her to stop. Nelson said ... the girl began to run into traffic.
Several cars swerved to avoid her, but the cement truck couldn't stop in time. The girl was killed instantly.
"She was drunk", her mother wailed. "Certainly the officer knew that! If he would only have used his harmless Taser, she wouldn't have run into traffic, and my baby would be alive today".
And what's in the water in Florida, anyway?
My husband and I were talking about this. I believe I could have taken down my 5 y/o grandson and took the glass away and this kid wasn't all thay much bigger. I've seen kids go crazy and it might not have been pretty but .... The girl however at 12 is in a woman's body and was reported as drunk and running into traffic. He may have saved her life.
It's a catch-22 for police officers now a days. You're wrong if you do, you're wrong if you don't.
If they were doing it to try and put handcuffs on them, or to try and simply restrain them...that would be a different matter. But when these kids own lives or saftey, or the lives or safety of others are in the balance, that is a differnt matter.
Excellent point.
I have serious questions for the mother of the 12-year-old girl. Her daughter is not in school on a Friday morning, and is drinking and smoking? And runs away from a cop?
Hell, reload the Taser and give the mom a shot.
that's because nowadays everybody is looking for somebody to sue. A big city has deep pockets.
Not always, but often when you see a messed up kid there is a messed up parent not to far behind.
were they biting his ankles?
The more I think about it the more I tend to agree.
Well, drug use and pregnancy are not too far ahead. I hope this is a wake-up call for both of them.
I can't see the first one. Was an army mp, cops have a baton either collapsable or side handle a strike to the wrist & short jab to solar plexus situation under control . Both officers need remedial training in unarmed self defense & suspect control tactics .
You, CindyDawg, are exactly right.
In the mean time, kiddie tazers?????
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