My point with this is that in most States, the statute on felony assault on an officer is usually littered with language about inflicting serious bodily injury, trying to take an officer's weapon, at least leaving some visible injuries past a scrape. That's my problem here.

 

My apologies if I think the SRO is a little overzealous in saying that an autistic 11 year old with some obvious developmental disabilities hurt him when he jerked away from him as he was being grabbed (most autistic children are very sensitive to touch and that is an obvious thing that will set them off).

 

I do agree that there are more people than just the SRO who have failed the kid in some ways, but the DA made their decision on what to charge based on his report, it's not like the DA calls up the Defendant and asks them their side before going further. Either way, the article and others show that this kind of thing is a pretty common occurrence in Virginia.

 

I generally wouldn't advise that people in situations like these go run to the media when they are dead wrong, that's usually a horrible idea because people start poking holes in your story if there are any. In this case, it's probably more like they felt like it was all they could do.

 

As I have mentioned far too often, I work in psychiatry. When I started years ago, we were strongly encouraged to never file assault charges. Guess what? We had a strong core of patients who would assault us because they knew they could. Teachers are in that very same spot. We started pressing charges, and it was amazing what a difference it made. Just because you are special needs does not mean you can't control yourself. It is a disservice to our handicapped population to think that way. Perhaps that officer was in a unique position to put that point across.

 

I can tell you by personal experience, that I have dealt with special needs patients who have documented histories of violence against health care workers. When they threaten violence, and /or destroy property, we very calmly tell them that they will be sent to jail. It usually only takes one arrest to make them believe it. The next time around, things are different.

 

 

I have worked with many disabled adults whose families did their best, and it is reflected in their behavior. Usually, the reasons behind their outbursts is easily identified and treated. I have also worked with disabled adults whose families gave them free range to do whatever they wanted with no consequences.

I am not saying that this is the case here, but it could be. So, before you judge the officer's action, you need the big picture.

Edited April 12, 201511 yr by Beechwoodfan

After reading on this story I'm confused. I don't want to blame the officer because I don't know the training they have with autistic kids. I just don't understand under any circumstances how you charge an autistic kid with this.

 

I don't have the whole story and I'm just confused. Nothing about the story makes sense.

After reading on this story I'm confused. I don't want to blame the officer because I don't know the training they have with autistic kids. I just don't understand under any circumstances how you charge an autistic kid with this.

 

I don't have the whole story and I'm just confused. Nothing about the story makes sense.

 

I'd venture a guess that police have zero training with autistic kids.

After reading on this story I'm confused. I don't want to blame the officer because I don't know the training they have with autistic kids. I just don't understand under any circumstances how you charge an autistic kid with this.

 

I don't have the whole story and I'm just confused. Nothing about the story makes sense.

 

My guess is that he handled this just like any other student...he may not have even been aware the boy was Autistic.

Kinda like your thread on the actress that cried racism and harassment..I think your line of thought was there is no way she's wrong or she wouldn't have went public.

 

Well, when the police department releases a statement that there are no reports of the incident two days afterward, then they come up with one once it blows up, that's kind of on them in a way as well. Kind of glossing over that part of it.

As I have mentioned far too often, I work in psychiatry. When I started years ago, we were strongly encouraged to never file assault charges. Guess what? We had a strong core of patients who would assault us because they knew they could. Teachers are in that very same spot. We started pressing charges, and it was amazing what a difference it made. Just because you are special needs does not mean you can't control yourself. It is a disservice to our handicapped population to think that way. Perhaps that officer was in a unique position to put that point across.

 

I can tell you by personal experience, that I have dealt with special needs patients who have documented histories of violence against health care workers. When they threaten violence, and /or destroy property, we very calmly tell them that they will be sent to jail. It usually only takes one arrest to make them believe it. The next time around, things are different.

 

 

I have worked with many disabled adults whose families did their best, and it is reflected in their behavior. Usually, the reasons behind their outbursts is easily identified and treated. I have also worked with disabled adults whose families gave them free range to do whatever they wanted with no consequences.

I am not saying that this is the case here, but it could be. So, before you judge the officer's action, you need the big picture.

 

 

This was also the second time this officer arrested the child in question.

I'd venture a guess that police have zero training with autistic kids.

 

And that's my point. Schools shouldn't be militarized zones where children are being hit with felonies because someone who is working with them doesn't understand them.

My guess is that he handled this just like any other student...he may not have even been aware the boy was Autistic.

 

He'd arrested the child twice. Probably should have learned the first time then, if not the school failed him. Regardless, I think it'd be fairly obvious that it was a special needs classroom once you were inside.

JW24 you keep talking about the officer and how he handled this situation. Let's back up a second. The Teacher and Principal both knew of the boys condition and I would venture that at least one of them (maybe both) has some advanced special ed training that would allow them to be better educated and prepared to handle an Autistic child. The teacher could not handle the situation and contacted the principal and the principal contacted the SRO. An SRO that may or may not 1) Know the boy was Autistic and 2) may or may not have any extra training on how to deal with him.

 

If the teacher and the principal had no way to handle the child the officer seems to have done what was needed.

 

If your only complaint is with what he was charged with...then you really don't have much to complain about. Start a thread on the abuse of power by the DA that should have seen this for what it was (in your opinion) and could have dropped the charges but instead decided to throw the book at the kid. Or maybe a thread on a judge that has a God Complex and rules from the bench without compassion.

 

If I wanted to just bash police officers, there are plenty of other things in the news this week that I could have used (South Carolina incident, Thabo Sefelosha, etc.).

 

Point taken though.

This was also the second time this officer arrested the child in question.

So, what is your point? I said it usually only takes once, not always.

 

The fact that it is his second arrest only tells me that he needs reinforcement. The lack of teacher intervention tells me that they were ok with this. Better off to set strict limits as a juvenile than as an adult. Maybe the juvenile system can offer him the type of counseling he needs so he can become a better adult. Unless there is documentation saying otherwise, outside agencies do not recognize that a problem exists, and kids fall through the cracks.

 

The public school system is not equipped to deal with all behavior problems. They do their best is most situation, but sometimes kids need more than the school can provide.

So, what is your point? I said it usually only takes once, not always.

 

The fact that it is his second arrest only tells me that he needs reinforcement. The lack of teacher intervention tells me that they were ok with this. Better off to set strict limits as a juvenile than as an adult. Maybe the juvenile system can offer him the type of counseling he needs so he can become a better adult.

 

Understand the bolded.

 

To the second part, I have sincere doubts about that (i.e., what really putting the kid in the system and sticking him with a felony would do), but who knows. Glad the measly 11 year old in the picture didn't injure the officer, or that if he did that the guy gets to be a SRO, because I don't know how I'd feel if I had him trying to deal with adults when he can't handle children without getting hurt. I think "resisting arrest" or something similar would have been fine for even more reinforcement.

He'd arrested the child twice. Probably should have learned the first time then, if not the school failed him. Regardless, I think it'd be fairly obvious that it was a special needs classroom once you were inside.

Possibly yes, but we don't know. Not sure about the Special Needs classroom looking that much different...I've seen some that look very similar to the rest of the rooms especially for kids at that age.

 

I know some Autistic kids that have went to regular classes, not all are Rainman. I guess there could be differing levels of impairment for different people.

If I wanted to just bash police officers, there are plenty of other things in the news this week that I could have used (South Carolina incident, Thabo Sefelosha, etc.).

 

Point taken though.

:thumb:

Understand the bolded.

 

To the second part, I have sincere doubts about that (i.e., what really putting the kid in the system and sticking him with a felony would do), but who knows. Glad the measly 11 year old in the picture didn't injure the officer, or that if he did that the guy gets to be a SRO, because I don't know how I'd feel if I had him trying to deal with adults when he can't handle children without getting hurt. I think "resisting arrest" or something similar would have been fine for even more reinforcement.

 

Could be true. On the other hand, most 11 year olds are on the verge of puberty, which makes them bigger and stronger. Violent outbursts are far worse then. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Unless you have witnessed these outbursts first hand, as I have, you have no idea what it is like.

I am just saying there is always more to the story than mom's version.

Possibly yes, but we don't know. Not sure about the Special Needs classroom looking that much different...I've seen some that look very similar to the rest of the rooms especially for kids at that age.

 

I know some Autistic kids that have went to regular classes, not all are Rainman. I guess there could be differing levels of impairment for different people.

 

Definitely so.

 

My whole problem with this is making the kid a felon. You can tell from the interview that he's a pretty feeble child and that given his comments in the interview, he probably doesn't have the greatest understanding of all that was going on.

 

I think this was a situation where there were lots of things at play, but I don't know how just labeling him a felon and shipping him off to juvy is really going to help anything at all. What it does do is get rid of a headache for the teacher and the SRO, but sorry, I think that's part of the job they singed up for. It just seems like there has to be a better solution than that, but it's kind of the prison industrial complex society that we are living in.

 

If they send him off to juvy, they might as well just go ahead and sign him up to share an apartment with a registered sex offender, because that kid won't last in a juvy situation, IMO.