Washington Post: Kindergarten Girl Handcuffed For Tantrum
Quote:
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, April 17, 9:56 AM
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Police in Georgia handcuffed a kindergartner after the girl threw a tantrum and the police chief defended the action.
The girl’s family demanded Tuesday that this central Georgia city change policy so that other children aren’t treated the same way. They say the child was shaken up by being put in a cell at the police station.
Salecia Johnson, 6, was accused of tearing items off the walls and throwing furniture in an outburst Friday at Creekside Elementary School, Macon television station WMAZ-TV (http://on.wmaz.com/HPb7nr ) reported. Police said the girl knocked over a shelf that injured the principal.
The school called police. The police report says when an officer tried to calm the child in the principal’s office, she resisted and was handcuffed. The girl was charged with simple assault and damage to property.
Police Chief Dray Swicord says the department’s policy is to handcuff people in certain situations.
“Our policy states that any detainee transported to our station in a patrol vehicle is to be handcuffed in the back and there is no age discrimination on that rule,” Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord told WMAZ.
The girl’s aunt, Candace Ruff, went with the child’s mother to pick her up from the police station. She Salecia was by herself in a holding cell and complained about the handcuffs.
“She said they were really tight. She said they really hurt her wrists,” Ruff told the Associated Press. “She was so shaken up when we went there to pick her up.”
Officials at Creekside Elementary did not immediately return calls Tuesday.
“We would not like to see this happen to another child, because it’s horrifying. It’s devastating,” Ruff said.
It's hilarious how THIS is what the police department takes a stand on. Go and actually do your job and catch ****ing criminals. Not 6 year old brats. Morons.
I can maybe understand handcuffing her at the school to restrain her since it is a less violent way to do so, but I really don't think it is necessary to bring her into the police station and put her into a cell. Why not call the aunt and get her to pick the girl up from the school?
That's terrible And completely uncalled for. Why not call her guardian(s) or emergency contact? Calling the police was too much, against a 6 year old child.
shoutout to all the drug deals that went on while this little girl got handcuffed and thrown in a cell.
I believe there were some older children at the same school that were caught with heroin.
This is the elementary school I went to as well... So much has changed, obviously. I never even knew about drugs until they made us take a drug abuse prevention program in fifth grade...
I know I'm in the minority here but I'm all for what they did. Children get away with so much these days. Teachers can't do any sort of discipline without getting in trouble anymore. My mom is a teacher and a parent tried to get her fired because she ROLLED HER EYES at her daughter. Seriously? WTF?!?!
But why put her in jail? 
That's messed up.
And completely uncalled for. Why not call her guardian(s) or emergency contact? Calling the police was too much, against a 6 year old child.
