Police use Taser on 10-year-old at school career day

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**Mattman154**

Allegedly.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/lawsuit-alleges-police-officer-tasered-10-old-school-152530178.html

A lawsuit claims an New Mexico state police officer stunned a 10-year-old boy with a Taser after he refused to wash the officer's car.
Officer Christopher Webb was visiting the boy's elementary school for a career day on May 4 when the incident occurred, according to Courthouse News.
During the presentation, Webb apparently asked a group of students if they wanted to wash his patrol car, the lawsuit states. When the boy, identified as R.D. jokingly refused, Webb pointed the stun gun at him and said, "Let me show you what happens to people who do not listen to the police."
Then R.D., who weighs about 100 pounds, was hit in the chest with two barbs and 50,000 volts of electricity, according to Courthouse News Service.
Webb told the Albuquerque Journal the Taser was accidentally discharged.
The boy blacked out.
The officer removed the barbs, which left marks that "looked like cigarette burns" on R.D.'s chest, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit claims Webb acted in a "reckless manner."
R.D., who now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, has "woken up in the middle of the night holding his chest, afraid he is never going to wake up again," Courthouse News Service quoted his lawyer as saying.
Webb was suspended for three days without pay, the Albuquerque Journal reports. He did not return calls from the newspaper seeking a comment.

**Grey Templar**

I'm sure it was an accident, but the Officer should never have pulled his Taser out. If you wanted to joke around simply putting your hand on the holster would have been fine.

**Dark**

Wouldn't it'd be funny if istead of a taser he pulled a gun?

That's the kind of cops I don't like, I mean "don't listen to the police" means "get taser'ed"? Since when?

Getting kicked from the force would be a proper meassure.

**Grey Templar**

Yeah, he needs to get sacked. This guy gives all cops a bad name.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

For career days aren't you supposed to tell them what your job is about and tell interesting stories and anecdotes about it, not tell the school kids to wash your car.

And if you ask a question it gives the other person 2 options: Yes or No, not just Yes

**Frazzled**

Grey Templar wrote:
I'm sure it was an accident, but the Officer should never have pulled his Taser out. If you wanted to joke around simply putting your hand on the holster would have been fine.

If true he should have been fired.
Also he should be fired if he did what you suggest. Guns aren't toys.

**Da Boss**

Ridiculous! You must always answer yes!
*Tases Larkin*

Still, good to note that 10 year olds can survive a tasing.

**Dark**

Being in my country's army, if I only suggested something similar and threatened to pull a gun/taser/wathever from it's holdster, that'd be enough to be kicked from the force while the lawsuit is investigated... and then jailtime if proven true.

I wouldn't go easier on the force that's even more in touch with the community.

**Mr. Burning**

An accidental firing? probably.

An absolute tard for drawing the taser in the first place? yup.

Demotion/ Long suspension/Firing/New city for the latter.

**Mattman154**

"Today you're going to be joining Mr. John Doe, a TSA Agent at the local airport!"

*Glove snaps*

**BlapBlapBlap**

Wasn't their a similar story recently? A 10 year old got tasered because he refused to do something in his home?

Jesus... Methinks the US police force needs to learn that your weapon is a last resort, not an everyday tool.

**azazel the cat**

Grey Templar wrote:I'm sure it was an accident, but the Officer should never have pulled his Taser out. If you wanted to joke around simply putting your hand on the holster would have been fine.

No, that would not be okay either. Saying, even jokingly, "let me show you what happens to people when they don't listen to police" whilst inplicating the use of a firearm is not acceptable behavior from an authoritative figure.

**Grey Templar**

azazel the cat wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:I'm sure it was an accident, but the Officer should never have pulled his Taser out. If you wanted to joke around simply putting your hand on the holster would have been fine.

No, that would not be okay either. Saying, even jokingly, "let me show you what happens to people when they don't listen to police" whilst inplicating the use of a firearm is not acceptable behavior from an authoritative figure.

I suppose so. I just find it amazing that the officer drew the Tazer and didn't just implicitly pat his holster. neither is acceptable, but one is just so absurd the fact it happened is jawdropping.

**Mattman154**

Also if he doesn't have the trigger discipline to NOT shoot a 10 yeard old, how could someone expect him to handle a firearm better?

**Dark**

Actually, someone who thinks to believe "physical power = power over you" is someone who I would not just want in the police, but anywherenear me.

**kronk**

Tasers are not toys, and should not be pointed at someone jokingly.

If this story is true, this should be 1 fired policeman. The parents should also press assault charges.

**Howard A Treesong**

BlapBlapBlap wrote:
Wasn't their a similar story recently? A 10 year old got tasered because he refused to do something in his home?

Jesus... Methinks the US police force needs to learn that your weapon is a last resort, not an everyday tool.

Taking the story as reported... so many things wrong. I think there are people forgetting that tasers are a type of firearm, they are painful and they can kill and injure even though they are designed as a non-lethal alternative to handguns. They are still dangerous, I think the 'non-lethal' bit is being taken upon too keenly by some police. They're not toys so every time you use one there's a potential for serious consequences, who knows, the person you're shooting might have a heart condition. Treat them as you would a gun. Basic gun safety is that you don't point a gun at someone unless you're prepared to use it, you don't fool around with them. Then there's the incredibly negative attitude the policeman has given of his profession, which is you do anything a policeman tells you to or they'll taser you. Maybe he didn't actually mean for it to go off, in which case the policeman is an idiot, he can't be trusted with a firearm. Back to the basic gun safety, that's why you don't point weapons at people unless you're prepared to use them.

**Themanwiththeplan**

I surpose that's what happens when you lower the score on the entry exam, you get a moron.

**dogma**

You know, in certain older civilized cultures, when men failed as entirely as this one may have, they would throw themselves on their swords.

**SilverMK2**

If only you oppressive cun control types let kids have guns, either he or his classmates could have defended him!

**Frazzled**

Dark wrote:
Actually, someone who thinks to believe "physical power = power over you" is someone who I would not just want in the police, but anywherenear me.

Agreed.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

dogma wrote:
You know, in certain older civilized cultures, when men failed as entirely as this one may have, they would throw themselves on their swords.

Brilliant, and appropriate!

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

kronk wrote:Tasers are not toys, and should not be pointed at someone jokingly.

If this story is true, this should be 1 fired policeman. The parents should also press assault charges.

They can also sue for delict as the kid is suffering from PTSD

**Alfndrate**

So he should throw himself on to his taser? What purpose will that serve?

**BlapBlapBlap**

Alfndrate wrote:
So he should throw himself on to his taser? What purpose will that serve?

Humour.

**Ouze**

dogma wrote:
You know, in certain older civilized cultures, when men failed as entirely as this one may have, they would throw themselves on their swords.

Well, unfortunately, he forgot to bring a sword.

3 days unpaid? Well that will surely show him. The worst part about all of this is that there never seem to be any consequences of meaning for these sorts of things.

Pick up the can, citizen.

**Fafnir**

Well, he should certainly be fired. What's more, he should be facing assault charges, and definitely be made to pay for any therapy that the kid is going to need.

**KalashnikovMarine**

dogma wrote:
You know, in certain older civilized cultures, when men failed as entirely as this one may have, they would throw themselves on their swords.

Excellent quote and entirely true.

I go back and forth from standing with cops and hating the boys and girls in blue with a passion. Yes cops do good work in a gakky job, but half the force or more any where you go seems to be made up of power tripping over compensating scum bags.

**Necroshea**

Not sure what all the commotions about. Works the same way outside of school. Do something cops don't like that isn't against the law? Get tazed. Or pepper sprayed. Or shot.

**Cheesecat**

Necroshea wrote:
Not sure what all the commotions about. Works the same way outside of school. Do something cops don't like that isn't against the law? Get tazed. Or pepper sprayed. Or shot.

I didn't know that US police officers are legally allowed to taze or pepper spray people who are not disobeying the law.

**Necroshea**

Cheesecat wrote:
Necroshea wrote:
Not sure what all the commotions about. Works the same way outside of school. Do something cops don't like that isn't against the law? Get tazed. Or pepper sprayed. Or shot.

I didn't know that US police officers are legally allowed to taze or pepper spray people who are not disobeying the law.

You'd be amazed at what police officers are allowed to do. What's that, they aren't allowed to do what they did? Well it's your word against a police officer, and the rest of his department attempting to cover it up.