South Tucson police officer who used a taser to subdue 9-year-old girl
I saw this story on the Channel 4 New this morning...
A 9-year-old girl subdued with a stun gun after being handcuffed by South Tucson police is among a growing group nationally of children who have had the device used on them.
Few local agencies have age-specific guidelines for use of stun guns, though they advise officers to use caution with them.
Taser International Inc., the Scottsdale-based manufacturer of the device used on the South Tucson girl, says Tasers do no more harm to children than adults and often result in less serious injuries.
But others question whether it's ethical to use the stunning devices on children.
Records kept by Taser show that as of six months ago, 10 children seven and younger have been hit with Tasers. Some were as young as 1-year-old, but most of the toddlers were hit inadvertently.
Slightly older children also have been hit, including three 13-year-old girls - one wielding a samurai sword and two who fought with officers.
"At first blush, this is going to look bad," said Steve Tuttle, a spokesman for Taser International. "But this is going to be an issue of was it reasonable force, what are the alternatives, and does it fit in their policy?"
South Tucson police have released few details of the May 8 incident in which a 9-year-old girl was hit with a Taser.
The girl had run away from a group home. She was not injured and received no medical treatment. But at the request of Chief Sixto Molina, the Pima County Sheriff's Department is trying to determine if the police officer committed a crime and the department is conducting an internal review.
Sgt. Dan Snyder, a South Tucson police spokesman, said Tuesday he doubts criminal charges will be filed against the officer, whom he would not identify.
Fred Chaffee, president and chief executive of the children's home the girl ran away from, said he couldn't comment on the incident but that the home is a residential psychiatric center for children who need intensive treatment.
"These are youngsters who ... can present with issues very troubling to the community around them and themselves," he said. "A lot of these youngsters, no matter what they're diagnosed with, have poor self-esteem, poor impulse control and poor judgment, a learned set of behaviors that aren't terribly socially acceptable."
But attorney Michael Bloom, a lawyer who is handling two cases charging improper use of Tasers on adults, questioned the tactics used on the girl.
"I think this incident was outrageous," he said. "It's hard to conceive of circumstances in which law enforcement would be justified in using a weapon like that on a 9-year-old. The Taser is not a substitute for common sense."
Tasers are now being used by 4,400 police agencies internationally, mostly in the United State and Canada.
There is video of the news reports here--->KVOA Channel 4 Tucson
I wrote a letter to the Arizona's Children Association this is what I had to say:
Hello,
I was watching the Channel 4 News this morning and seen a story about the South Tucson police officer who used a taser to subdue 9-year-old girl. Now my concern has nothing to do with the fact that the officer used the taser. Although this incident could have been prevented. My concern is with the ignorant older man, (who's name I didn't catch) talking about how the girl had run away several times because she didn't like the structure or the accountability factor of your program.
I mean really...can you blame her? I realize that you are trying to help, but the facts are...that something has happened to this little girl so traumatic and so horrible to her that she is so full of rage and blames people around her that could have prevented these things from happening to her.
I was the same way when I was younger. When I was 6 or 7 years of age, my father would cheat on my mom and bring these girls home and have sex with them. To ensure that I didn't say anything, my father would have me kneel on one of those tupperware lids with the cheese grater built in...next to the bed while they had sex. He told me he would kill me if I told my mom.
I was 14 and had been raped by my own brother while my parents were away. I kept this secret hidden from people because I was scared of what might happen to me if I told. So I became very defiant and rebellious. They blamed the sudden change on the fact that the Devil was in me and my step mother would spank and beat the crap out of me, saying that she was driving out the Devil.
So what changed my life?? I was placed in a very loving home with a solid father figure and a solid mother figure, who loved me and gave me a sense of hope. Sorry Doctors around the word you really can't help. I went through several Psychiatrist and doctors and nothing ever changed. It wasn't until I had been given the small window of opportunity to live in a loving family atmosphere.
This girl as well as many other children don't need some one to pick their brains, and analyze their past. They need someone to listen to them and love them and not love them out of sympathy, but love them wholly. They need strong loving parent figures who they can trust. Their youth has been stolen from them, adult things have happened to them and there is no turning back now.
So you go and tell that ignorant man to quit turning the situation around and blaming it on the little girl and saying she won't adhere to the structure and she doesn't like the accountability of the program. I totally believe in all those things, but don't tell me that a 9 year old girl who has obviously been through something so bad, expect her to live in a strange place with people analyzing everything you say and do, to not react the way she has.
I have said what I wanted...I hope you all will begin to open your eyes. It's hard to understand someone if you haven't gone through it yourself...some of us are not as fortunate enough to have been born with caring loving families.
Juan Figueroa
If you feel moved by this story and want contribue your thoughts please feel free to drop an email to the news station or the ACA.
ACA (Arizona's Children Association) - cleblanc@arizonaschildren.org
KVOA 4 News - mmibach@kvoa.com
