Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy charter school in Florida has suspended school resource officer, Dennis Turner, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. He arrested two children, ages 6 and 8, in separate incidents at the school on Thursday, the police said.
Resource officers must get a supervisor’s approval before arresting any child under the age of 12, which Turner failed to do.
“The Orlando Police Department has a policy that addresses the arrest of a minor and our initial finding shows the policy was not followed,” Police Chief Orlando Rolón said in a statement. “As a grandparent of three children less than 11 years old this is very concerning to me.”
The Hill:
Meralyn Kirkland, the grandmother of the 6-year-old, told WKMG-TV, that her granddaughter Kaia had been arrested after having a tantrum at the charter school, Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy.
Ms. Kirkland said she had received a call informing her that Kaia had kicked a staff member at school, had been charged with battery and was on her way to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Ms. Kirkland said she had tried to explain to Officer Turner that her granddaughter had sleep apnea, a sleep disorder, and that they were working to resolve it.
NYT:
It’s unclear the gender of the other child or why the officer arrested him/her. However, the child was taken to a juvenile detention center; then later released to a relative.
More information found here:
