Nine years old and handcuffed, what the :angry: is wrong with these people? I had to read it twice to make sure I was reading it right.

softie

By C.J. Karamargin
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

A veteran South Tucson police sergeant is under investigation for firing his stun gun to subdue a handcuffed 9-year-old girl.

At the request of Chief Sixto Molina, the Pima County Sheriff's Department is trying to determine if the sergeant committed a crime when he sent a jolt through the child's body.

The police officer used a Taser on the girl at about 5:30 p.m. May 8, Molina said. The nonlethal weapon uses a pulsating electrical charge to immobilize a person for several seconds.

"I'll be the first to admit, you've got a veteran sergeant Tasing a 9-year-old girl, it doesn't look good," said Molina.

The sergeant was one of at least two officers who responded to a call from the Arizona Children's Home, a school for special needs children, on South Eighth Avenue, he said.

"It had to do with a runaway from the institution," the chief said. He declined to provide further details.

The school could not be reached for comment late Monday. But Molina said that the facility is the source of frequent calls to his 25-person department.

Molina said one officer initially responded to the call from the school. That officer requested assistance from another officer and specifically asked that the second officer bring a Taser.

He said the girl was handcuffed at the time the weapon was used.

The sergeant who used the hand-held Taser remains on duty. His name is not being released while the investigation is under way.

"It didn't involve an integrity issue," Molina said. "The officer made a decision to do what he thought he needed to do."

Deputy Dawn Barkman, a spokeswoman with the Sheriff's Department, confirmed a review of the incident is under way but said she had no further details.

The results of the probe will be forwarded to the Pima County Attorney's Office.

"They'll have to present it to us to see if any criminal charges are warranted," said County Attorney's Office spokesman Dan Benavidez.

Sgt. Dan Snyder, a South Tucson police spokesman, said the investigation could be complete by the end of the week.

Now is she was hancuffed and only 9 years old -- how much of a threat could she have been to the cops. Okay was she out of control and if so that does that kiind of behavior warrant using a Taser on a NINE YEAR OLD GIRL????
I think not!!!! This is insane, drastic measures needs to be taken against the officers in this case. This is heart wrenching. I can't begin to imagine the jolt that poor child's body must have felt and went thru.
I get sick thinking about it.

This is unreal....... I am speachless!!

Those tasers will knock a grown man to the ground instantly!!! If they were able to get her handcuffed then she must not have been too hard to handle! Absolutly rediculous!!! Grown policeman can't handle a freaking 9 year old little girl!! SICK!

That is just another case of police burtality in the good ol USA....

the officer should lose their job. there are laws/rules about excessive force on juveniles!! sick!!

what is their to investigate? its all right there on paper

"I'll be the first to admit, you've got a veteran sergeant Tasing a 9-year-old girl, it doesn't look good," said Molina. Doesn't LOOK good??? Is that all they f***ing care about, how it looks? I am SO pissed off, I mean, are we talking the United States of America here or the freaking Middle Ages??

Trying to calm down...:eek:

This story brings tears to my eyes. I have a 9 year old boy and a 10 year old girl. You can put them on the ground and sit on them to calm them, there is no fit bad enough to use a taser on a 9 year old. I will pray that the officers are punished.

That is horrible but I cant say I am surprised. My hunny grew up in a juvenile center and his girlfriend died when she started seizing. the brilliant corrections worker thought she better put a pillow under her head to keep her head from thrashing, she was in a coma for a few days after being suffocated and then died.

Oh man I just looked this up. there is a follow up article from July something. NO CHARGES FILED>makes me sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The law says once you have a person handcuffed, you have "control" over them and anything that happens to that person after they are handcuffed is the responsibility of the police. Now...two grown men could not maintain control over a 9 year old girl. Remove them immediately. If they were unable to control a child, anyone over the age of 12 is liable to whip them and take their guns and vehicle! Wonder how they discipline their own children? And how do they treat their family? Do they take the tasers home???