Kentucky sheriff's department sued over handcuffing of eight-year-old boy

a reply to: SgtHamsandwich

The swift kick in the ass theory of ADHD makes less sense every year. The density of chemical, electronic, and social programming going into kids is way up there and the amount of time kids get with an authority they know enough to distinguish discipline from cruelty is way down.

At some point we have to admit that music that can break a siege, a corn syrup diet (the modern bread and water) with a generous side of drugs and hormones, constant sensory overload, and staring at repetitive screens for hours on end like you were in a POW camp JUST MIGHT pack a little more punch than your average drunken step father.

a reply to: JIMC5499

I hope you don't have children of any kind.

I'd be pretty pissed at the resource officer and the school administration, but I would be equally disappointed and embarrassed with my son ADHD aside, for acting out and assaulting authority figures.

Such a tough position to be in for all parties involved.

-Alee

a reply to: Blazemore2000

I wish the same to you.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Was your sister a full grown man trained to do violence against other grown men and did she pull your biceps behind you strappado torture style? You can't do that to just every 50 shades of gray fan even.

It's not a simple matter of restraint, it's a matter of the overkill involved in a state enforcer threatening a child with violence to illicit unconditional compliance. It's not as if somebody just grabbed his wrists- they stood off with him until a man with a gun came to apply overwhelming violence beyond the capability of a normal adult that a kid would deal with.

a reply to: The Vagabond

I just dont see the horror on this one. We have all been in a pair of handcuffs. It just isnt some life altering event.

originally posted by: The Vagabond
a reply to: alienjuggalo

Was your sister a full grown man trained to do violence against other grown men and did she pull your biceps behind you strappado torture style? You can't do that to just every 50 shades of gray fan even.

It's not a simple matter of restraint, it's a matter of the overkill involved in a state enforcer threatening a child with violence to illicit unconditional compliance. It's not as if somebody just grabbed his wrists- they stood off with him until a man with a gun came to apply overwhelming violence beyond the capability of a normal adult that a kid would deal with.

good point.

we shouldn't let it come down to training to teach police not to handcuff and threaten children. we should assume they'd have at least that modicum of common sense or morality. how about IQ and psychological tests and more thorough background checks before men can swear to protect and serve.

I wonder how anyone else not in uniform would handle this? what if the leo was a counselor and used ropes to tie the children to subdue them, then would it be more wrong? since he's a cop there seems to be an underlying empathy in the responses here.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

You're willingly missing context.

A spanking might not be so inappropriate in and of itself either... but in a class room, in an unorthodox manner more commonly seen in bdsm than in enforcing order?

It's not just cuffs. It's cuffs used inappropriately. It's cuffs used on a child. It's cuffed used on a child by a paramilitary trooper when he was supposed to be under the care of school officials. It's the whole situation happening because the state FORCED the child from his home and from the care of his parents and didn't provide for the child's needs.

Suppose that the parent got caught using strappado bondage as discipline in the home, wouldn't that sound just a little bit freaky and probably prompt an investigation by the state?

You don't get to make up the rules as you go along and use violence and intimidation to enforce it. That's a bad lesson for children and it leads to retaliation. And if I'm so far off base, why is it the kids who have these conditions and go through the public system for dealing with them who always end up killing themselves and taking a few people with them?

originally posted by: odzeandennz
since he's a cop there seems to be an underlying empathy in the responses here.

Bingo. Cops handcuff people, that's what they do. Duh. Everyone's missing that cops aren't for kids.

Let me come somewhere you think you're safe, as a huge stranger you can't possibly resist, brandishing a pair of cuffs and telling you that you will do whatever I say without any negotiation or hesitation.

Let's see if police apologists don't end up on somebody's couch trying to get my face out of their head after that.

That baby is obviously in pain! Try putting your own arms in that position. I'm assuming the LEO was in fear of his personal safety...from the tiny little 8 year old...right? Right??

I'll tell you this, I'm a peace loving soul, but that entire staff should be exceedingly glad that child wasn't of my blood.

Children DO NOT belong in handcuffs...period

Sorry if I seem somewhat callous on this issue, but I have my own fair share of mental issues including PSTD - I have been roughed up, left bruised and handcuffed tighter than anyone can imagine just for the simple offense of being in a childlike state of confusion in public and unable to understand and being frightened out of my wits over aggressive police responders without proper training in mental health cases.

Not to mention those two wonderful months of being kept in a constantly lit rubber room with no bathroom facilities or running water without so much as a blanket.

No one made much of a fuss over what I endured because....oh wait....my physical age was over the limit?

Not saying I agree with what happened to this little dude, as I most certainly do not, but mountains and molehills and so it goes because only CHILDREN are innocent and need protection, right?

I'm only passing my personal account along because this is beyond ridiculous if you keep abreast of serious offenses against humanity.....and yeah, I'm still a little peeved about what has happened to me before I got into a proper treatment program and it rankles my hide beyond words.

Short version:

Eight year old kid was told what would happen if he did not comply with instructions?

At least he got that courtesy.