Home School Group Says Police Used Excessive Force

FOX Carolina WHNS-TV ^ | Friday, February 18, 2005 | FOX Carolina

[two134711]

Some home schoolers say they were having a meeting in Simpsonville Park when an officer started bullying them.

The group of home schoolers included 6 mothers and about 15 to 20 kids, every Wednesday for the past 5 years the group has come to Simpsonville Park to socialize and meet with each other, but they say this past Wednesday was like no other.

One of the mothers in the group, Jan Blanchard says, "We were just sitting there talking..."

"I heard a man yelling take your hands out of your pocket and I turned around and he was yelling at one of the boys in the group,” says another mother Priscilla Adams.

Priscilla’s 14-year-old son, Glenn says, "He started yelling and screaming at this boy for having a knife, then pushed him down."

Priscilla says he then "went for another boy a 16-year-old, yelled at him something about having a knife, he pushed him to the ground."

Simpsonville Police say a call came in that someone in the park had a knife. They say they responded as they would to any call like that, but the officer responding to the call was dressed in plain clothes and did not identify himself at first.

[two134711]

Obviously this waouldn't have happened if these children had been in government schools, where they belong! /Sarcasm off

[VRWCisme]

Yes, because in government-run schools, there are metal detectors!

[2banana]

A plain clothed policeman, without identifying himself, grabbing and pushing children in a public park in the south - it is lucky he wasn't shot...

[visualops]

Think again.

[Red Badger]

Sounds like this plain-clothes policeman will be wearing a LAWSUIT pretty soon......SIMPSONVILLE? DOH!...........

[two134711]

I almost forgot about that! The cops never did find what they were looking for in the school, either. I wonder if they were ever reprimanded for excessive force? Anyone know?

[demnomo]

Here's a thread from this morning regarding the incident: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1349213/posts

[robowombat]

"Police Chief Reese says officers do not have to identify themselves immediately and that the officer was wearing a badge and a gun.

But Jan says, "A crazy man come running up screaming, you're not looking at his belt to see if he's an officer."

The parents say the student did have a small hunting knife in a sheath on his belt, but never once had it out. The incident will keep this group from the park for good.

"The police station is right beside it, he could just come down at any time and do anything he wanted to," says Glenn.

The mother who tried to stop the officer was arrested and charged with assault on an officer, the 16-year-old boy was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Simpsonville Police say they will not comment any further because the case is under investigation."

Simpsonville PD sounds like the Springfield PD of Homer Simopson fame. Wise cracks aside there are far to many instances of police officers attacking citizens who are literally doing nothing offensive or violent. Presumably the increase in the readiness of thugs to attack police has something to do with the act intimidatingly violent first ask questions later. However, these acts feed the increasing perception that police agencies exist only for self serving ends engaging largely in a quasi bureaucratic activities known as 'police work' which has little utility to the citizenry whatsoever.

[two134711]

Donuts! I didn't look for "homeschoolers". Thanks!

[taxcontrol]

No kidding.

There is a saying (slightly modified) I used with the MPs that I would train.

"Dumb MP (cop) usually equals dead MP (cop)"

[ActionNewsBill]

The mother who tried to stop the officer was arrested and charged with assault on an officer,

She ought to be thankful she wasn't shot by this moron with a badge.

[al baby]

nope it was a training mission

[buckeye4bush]

Looks like a case for the Home School Legal Defense Association.

[headsonpikes]

She ought to be thankful she wasn't shot...

Ain't that the God-damnedest truth!

It's a disgrace.

[two134711]

Hopefully they'll take it on; I doubt the ACLU would.

[untrained skeptic]

"the 16-year-old boy was charged with carrying a concealed weapon."

How is a small hunting knife in a belt sheath a concealed weapon?

I would think that part of having a concealed weapon would be concealing it.

[sonofagun]

Police Chief Reese says officers do not have to identify themselves immediately and that the officer was wearing a badge and a gun.

Normally I'd say there's probably more to this than meets the eye, but I think the above says it all.

[two134711]

In my high school Law & Civics class, we got to go on a "field trip" to the county prison. At the entrance checkpoint, I caused quite a furor with the weapon in my pocket: keys with a nail clipper attached, no file. The guards confiscated them and gave me a stern warning on my carelessness, and I almost cried, I was so embarrased! But they didn't arrest me!

[two134711]

That's funny in a kind of twilight zone way.

[sport]

I have learned to avoid cops at all times.

Noe these people have learned that lesson.

It used to be and I taught my children that the police were the friend of law abiding children. No more.

Now I teach my grandchildern to obey the laws but avoid any interaction with the police.