Amazing...no words

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

This is a twelve year old with autism.

There are varying degrees of autism, some not even noticeable until someone spent some time around them, there are some on this forum who would be considered autistic nowadays. Did the officer even know the kid was diagnosed as autistic? We don't know the level of information the officer received or how old the kid was when he was called out to a report of a violent out of control kid that needed restraining. How big was the kid, was he 60 lbs or 200 lbs. We shouldn't judge as we were not wearing either persons shoes or what we would have done. I doubt the officer slammed him to the ground intentionally intending to hurt him, if he slammed him at all, things happen fast and unpredictibly in those situations. An out of control kid struggling kicking and flailing can be like a fish flopping out of your hands and landing on the rocks. Maybe he should have put a choke hold on him till he passed out, I can imagine the outcry if he did that. Either way not a good situation for either.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by big zeke

Mods, can you close this thread.

Posts that:

-blame the parents for asking for help from the cops (I believe that is what the cops are for)
-Indicate the kid was violent when this was never reported
-Question the use of meds to control this behaviour (unless you're a medical doctor specializing in this treatment you should really shut your clueless yap)
-Say the injuries were probably warranted (his skull was cracked, not his elbow scraped)

typify the lack of insight & compassion I mentioned earlier. These responses are pathetic...

Glad to see folks are still able to tap into the 1950s mentality...just ignorant.

No more pathetic than your speculative view of what may or may not have happened. Your ready to convict an officer of police brutality and ruin his career and life when you have no more idea than the rest of us what really transpired at the scene.

[tchammer]

Unless a 12 year old has a gun or a knife, or is 6'6" and 230 lbs, there is no way EVER that the police would be called to deal with my kid. Especially when my wife and I are both there. We would talk him down or in worse case take him down and then deal with the issue. I really do not understand what these people were thinking when they phoned the police. Did they honestly think that someone who knows nothing about the kid is going to better handle the situation then themselves? I think there might be a bit more to this story that needs to come out. The problem with getting the police involved is that if physical force comes into play the outcome is NEVER predictable, and by its very nature inherently dangerous to both the officer and the person being physically detained. I just can't imagine being an officer who is dealing with someone who is violent and voluntarily allowing them to knock my teeth out with a well placed elbow, or by a back of the head butt while I am trying to restrain them all in the name of being "sensitive" to the extenuating circumstances that you know next to nothing about.

[ehrgeiz]

Man, being a police offer is raw deal nowadays. You're thrown into chaotic situations where you have to assess an impossible number of variables including your own safety and if you choose poorly you're strung up in town's square with not only your career, but your reputation and livelihood hanging in the balance.

I trend towards sympathy to the officers involved and would challenge the parents on taking greater accountability for their decision to involve police officers. Really though, **** situation with predictably ****ty outcome. Call it such, learn whatever you can, skip the litigious drama and move on.

Ps. Uncontrolled falling body weight is enough to crack a skull. I'm personally aware of one fatality due to it. I've also directly observed all sorts significant injuries from years of wrestling and training related to uncontrolled or unexpected falls from a standing position including concussions.

[CaberTosser]

The previous two posts both hit on my thoughts. The initial post was outrage due to believing a single biased perspective. Some including myself allowed that other possibilities exist rather than immediately breaking out our pitchforks and torches. I'm not saying it was the case, but certainly easily as possible as the one sided article written by someone whose job it is to sell outrage....

With the perpetual criticism of the actions of police coupled with the courts constantly sending career recidivists to freedom it's a wonder we get any new police applicants at all! Oh wait, the head of the Toronto Police union recently noted that they've had 450 officers leave in the last 18 months and only 50 new recruits....

Careful what you wish for.

[32-40win]

I don't doubt the officer involved is questioning himself on the outcome, either. He has to live with that doubt in his mind from here on in. Most people never forget a situation where they wind up on the hot seat at work, and they don't do what the police are asked to do. Pretty safe bet he didn't want to be where he is now, even if he is a hardss guy, which it is quite possible he is not.

[Drewski Canuck]

I understand my Brother's self identification with the parties involved.

The situation started with a failing on the Responsible Adult to medicate, and then wait too long to seek intervention. The Police response was to a person in crisis.

Why Meds were not given to a 12 year old for 4 days straight is a head scratcher.

Given that the situation was really a mental health crisis and not a crime, the best tools for the job would have been to call for an Ambulance where the Attendants (EMS) are trained to deal with the situation.

Having actually argued a "Not Crimininally Responsible" verdict for my Clients in the past has given much insight to what Emergency services can do, as opposed to asking the Police to intervene.

If EMS assesses a threat to themselves or others, they then engage the Police to get control of the situation.

That apparently did not happen here as there is no suggestion that EMS was engaged. If it had, the outcome may have been different, or not.

Yes, mental health issues consume a large part of Police time and the Court's time.



Drewski

[calgarychef]

Cops are way too willing to use the old body slam to get control of a situation. Disgusting