http://www.pntonline.com/news/tucumcari-17846-year-chief.html At what point do we put our foot down and question the power given to police officers? I understand they have a dangerous job, and I'm glad they are given methods to protect themselves and others, but this is a child. I just don't get it, I hear stories like this quite often and I just wonder if they are over using the powers they are given? If this was my child I would be outraged that such force was used. Taser a child in the head? What was he thinking? I think there should be some kind of guidelines about use of extreme force like the taser.
I'm not passing any judgement on this one; the article didn't say ANYTHING. I've seen too many kids that are dangerous to say it shouldn't be used on a "child".
I agree the article left out important facts to really form an opinion on this. I can see both sides of the coin on this one. If the kid's crime was serious enough then maybe after getting tasered in the head she will think twice before breaking the law again. However, it is possible the police totally overreacted. Had the dart not hit her head this may not be a story so maybe the police officer used poor judgement in aiming for the head...maybe. I am NOT against the use of a taser as it is not a bullet and will not kill you. How else are they going to stop someone trying to flee? Nah...too many loose ends in this one to make a judgement but in the end I will say I am NOT against the use of a taser even on a teen.
Can't make a judgement on this one..... to many unanswered questions and there are two sides to every situation.
I think part of the story is missing. Either the mom has huge issues as she drove to the police department over some argument...or the content of the argument was such that it called for police involvement and the girl being stopped. I think that due to the lack of information, I cannot say if they overdid it or not. Was she threatening to hurt someone or herself? Is that why the mom went to the police or such? It sounds as if the 14 yr old was saying something or doing something that resulted in the police thinking something really bad could happen if she got away. Or the mom was making up lies to the police to get attention or whatever. A 14 yr old is just as capable of violence and horrible crimes as an 18 yr old really. So at 14, I would not discount it as she is just a child.
Because they said the consequences would have been worse if she got away, I am highly suspecting she was threatening to hurt herself or someone else. Simply having to arrest her a few hours later would not be worse consequences.
This whole family situation sounds messed up - the mom took the girl to the police station because they were arguing over a cell phone? What the heck? However, I agree that tasering a 14 yr old can be excessive - a 14 yr old is NOT an adult. Crazy.
For some reason I can't bring up the page. So what I have to say is not specific to the story because I can't read it. A police officers job is to protect and serve. A 14 year old can be just as dangerous as an adult. Around here we read about 14 year olds who are killing their parents and other people. So clearly a 14 year old needs to be restrained if they are a danger.
I would never take my child to the police station to help me resolve a problem I was having with them. I can't take sides though because like you all have said, there is not enough information.
I agree there are pieces of the story that are missing. Something doesn't make sense. But I know having a bipolar teenager and having to call the police myself when my child has been out of control, psychotic. He has ran and I would not want him tastered. I believe this can be dangerous and there are other ways to catch a child when running. Been there done that one. My father as actually had bad dreams about this. where my son has been tastered and he died. My son has heart problems and being tastered could kill him. I don't know what would have happened if he would have chased her instead of tastering her but I do think caution needs to be taken when it comes to a taster guns. Having a child with issues and having to call the police myself and having him chased I know there are other ways of catching a child when running. So who knows but was everything tried or was this the easy way to stop her. And yes the last time my son was chased he was on a busy street and was almost hit by a the police car. Which I wouldn't want to happen either but I know I would not want him tasered either. Please do not judge me because I have told you things from my closet. lol
No judgment from me! :angel: I am curious, because as I said in my previous post, the link will not work for me. Was the 14 year old simply running or was she a danger to people around her? Personally, I think this makes all the difference in the world.
here is what was said, I don't read anywhere where she was a danger to others, but that she was not watching where she was running. Her mother did have a bloody lip and scratches. So something happened there. But what else happened it does not say. A 14-year-old Tucumcari girl is recovering at an Albuquerque hospital after being shot in the head with a Taser dart by Tucucmari Police Chief Roger Hatcher. Now, her parents say they want the police department to review its policies for using the Taser. The girl was hit in the head Thursday by one of two darts fired simultaneously as she was fleeing, Hatcher said. The other dart lodged in her hip. Hatcher said be believed he had no other option. “There’s a lot of issues,” Hatcher said. “She committed a delinquent act. She was running from police across traffic without looking.” Hatcher said he chased her, ordered her to stop and “then did what I had to do.” Her mother, Stacy Akin, said her daughter underwent surgery Friday morning at University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque. “One of the darts entered her skull,” said Akin, interviewed by telephone. After a CAT scan, a hospital resident told her the dart was “in her brain a little bit, but not much,” Akin said. She was in pediatric intensive care following the surgery, Akin said. “She seems OK, but she she’s in a lot of pain. Her head is hurting her real bad.” Police were trying help Akin because she and her daughter had been fighting, Akin said. Akin said while she could understand the use of a Taser on an adult, it shouldn’t be used on a child. “She’s only 14, why?” Aikin asked. Akin also said her daughter has epilepsy. The girl’s father, Donny Martinez of Amarillo, said his daughter takes medication for the condition. “I’d like to find out what happened,” Martinez said, adding, “Someone, independently should look at it” to see if excessive force was used. Akin said she and her daughter were arguing over a cell phone. Akin said she drove her daughter to the Tucumcari Police Department to seek help. While in front of police headquarters, her daughter walked away, Akin said. Hatcher said he was at another incident when he received a call that a young girl had run off. Hatcher said he returned to department headquarters and talked to Aikin, who had a bloodied lip and scratches from a fight. Hatcher said he found the girl at George Molinas Park. Hatcher said he got out of his vehicle, called to her and she ran in front of his patrol car across Monroe Street without looking for traffic. Both were in a dead run when the Taser was fired, Hatcher said. Hatcher said if he’d been able to grab her and put her on the ground, he would have done it instead of firing the Taser. “There was a lawful reason to do that,” said Hatcher. “I didn’t have another choice and had to get her stopped.” Akin and her daughter were new in town, Hatcher said, and he did not know where she would go. Hatcher said if he had not stopped her the consequences might have been worse. Taser stun guns deliver a 50,000-volt electrical current that incapacitates a person, Hatcher said. By the time, the darts reach a person that current has greatly decreased, he said. Hatcher said he plans to refer the case to the Juvenile Probation Office Monday for possible charges.
Thanks for sharing, Amy. So my understanding is that the officer tased her in order to subdue her since she ran in front of traffic without looking. This was done in order to keep her from the consequences of this action? Did I read that correctly? Interesting to say the least! I think the article leaves out too much info. With that said, the girl is clearly troubled. In general, I believe if a 14 year old is going to act like a criminal, they should be prepared to be treated like a criminal. This isn't to say the officer was right or wrong, again, not enough information to go on. Some questions I have to ask myself are: -Were the girl's injuries normal for being hit with a taser? Although I have heard of people dieing from tasers, it isn't the norm, I don't believe. A bad heart might not be able to handle a taser, but it can't handle a bullet either. Both can kill. I don't know, maybe I am a hard nose but I do not feel sorry for people, teens or adults who break the law but complain because they do not like the consequences of their behavior, justified or not. -Was the officer's intent to hospitalize the girl? I seriously doubt it. -Was he trying to subdue her? Absolutely. -Was it to benefit her from further consequences, possibly being struck and killed by a car? Possibly. -Did the taser do more than simply tase the girl? Obviously but she wouldn't have been tased at all if she didn't attempt to evade the officer by fleeing into traffic, which is exactly what she did when she started running away. So when I look at it that way, I can almost understand why the officer did it, not that I would necessarily take this approach myself but I also was not in his shoes. If he did it carelessly and it was unwarrented, then he should be corrected for his thoughtless action. But again, we do not know because there isn't enough information. Something else that I find ironic is that the mom said, "“She’s only 14, why?” If she is only 14 then why in the heck did the mom take her to the police station in the first place and even if she is only 14, she is an abusive 14 year old who bloodied her mom's lip and scratched her, or that is what I think happened. I don't think the mom did it to herself but again not enough information! LOL
When this thread first started I thought oh no. Here we go bashing the police. Being a retired cop's wife and the mother of a police officer I hear a lot of bad mouthing cops. I KNOW there are bad cops just like there are bad everything else. It is refreshing to read that this officer, right or wrong, is not being made out to be a bad guy here since we don't have all the facts. He may have used bad judgement, I don't know, I wasn't there. The girl may have been a danger to herself. I don't know that either. No matter what happened it sounds like it was a bad situation that got worse. I am praying this young lady is well soon and her family life calms down. Beth
Police have to make spit-second judgment calls. That's not easy. Everytime they go up to a car for a "routine" traffic stop they are taking their life into their hands. They never know when someone might pull a gun or knife on them. So, if in their opinion, they consider the situation "dangerous", I think we need to trust their judgement. Are they perfect? No. And, unfortunately, their "mistakes" have very serious consequences. But most of those "mistakes" I feel are actually the result of people acting stupid around the police, for example running when told to stop, or brandishing toy guns which are mistaken for the real thing. A possible perpetrator with a little common sense could prevent a situation from becoming deadly. But I also don't feel it's right for people who are sitting back away from the situation, after the fact, with all the information before them that the officer didn't have at the time, to criticize and second guess the officer's decision.
that's one thing I have learned in my situation, that as my son parent I must give all the information I have about my son to the police, if ever I need to call again. Hopefully I never need to but I know with my son having a mental illness that I may have to. A very scary place for a parent to be and deal with. It's like you said we were not there we do not know what was really going on. The officer did what he felt he needed to and the girl hopefully is ok and hopefully will get the help she needs. Because by the sounds of it she needs help. The parent also needs help. No not saying they are bad parent because I know I am not, my son is sick and when this all started I was new to it and didn't know what to do and sometimes still don't. I will be saying a prayer for this family because they need it. And for the officer because I am sure he is wondering if he did the right thing or not. I am also not saying a mental illness gives anyone the right to break the law or do bad things. But it does happen. With my son we know and he is learning that he will pay the consequence for his actions. But I also believe that a taser gun like a real gun should be the last resort. My heart goes out to everyone involved.
Thanks Jacki, its hard for me to talk about my son. Because people do judge, but I am not ashamed of him and love him more then the world. I know that with Gods help we will survive, even though the road is a rough one!!! And I pray that this family gets the help their dd needs!!!
