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One day last year, a citizen on a prairie path in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst came upon a teen boy chopping wood. Not a body. Just some already-fallen branches. Nonetheless, the onlooker called the cops. Officers interrogated the boy, who said he was trying to build a fort for himself and his friends. A local news site reports the police then "took the tools for safekeeping to be returned to the boy's parents."

How is this anywhere within the duties of a police officer? Confiscating an axe being used in a safe manner from a teenager? The cop who did this should be disciplined and the police force that employs him should train its officers better.

I had the standard unsupervised childhood (with all the risks and rewards) and I'm for it.

I tutor high school and now college students from time to time. One of the big things I notice is that they are so fearful of failure and yet so dependent on someone (anyone) telling them exactly how to do something.

I have a devil of time getting them vaguely competent on one level and then making them just try the next level. Just give it your best shot - if you and I both did our jobs, you have the skills to make the next baby-step in math without me giving you constant feedback.

Virtually the only kids who will enthusiastically go for it are the small group homeschoolers. My individual students will almost never try and fail or try and succeed without prodding and fear.

Even their successes are seen as down to me or the program - not because they can actually do this stuff themselves.

How is this anywhere within the duties of a police officer?

I’m only up to comment #2. I expect some Freeper to justify this…and associate you with Black Lives Matter.