PA: 3rd Graders Handcuffed

3rd Graders Handcuffed
PORT RICHMOND-February 20, 2005 - Philadelphia police commissioner Sylvester
Johnson says he's looking into a situation where some third graders were
handcuffed and taken to a police station.

VIDEO: Chad Pradelli reports

They say someone brought a can of mace to school and it was sprayed. Some of
the students needed medical help.

Sandra Aldana is outraged that police handcuffed her daughter after she was
caught playing with a mace can at Willard Elementary earlier this month.

Sandra Aldana/Port Richmond: "She's no threat to nobody. She's 9 years
old. She didn't need to be handcuffed."
Joseline Perez/3rd grader: "When the police came in we were screaming. We
didn't want to go with him."
Aldana also questions how her daughter was treated in police custody. The 3
third graders were told to take off their shoes, jewelry, and hair
accessories. Then she says an officer asked the girls if they ever tried to
commit suicide.
Sandra Aldana/Port Richmond: "I feel like my daughter's mind was dirtied
in a way. She never thought about things like that until now. She goes, 'Mom
what is that?'"
This is not the first time police have come under fire. In December, police
handcuffed and hauled a Holme Elementary 4th grader to jail after the
student brought scissors onto school grounds. Police Commissioner Sylvester
Johnson later issued an apology and since then the Philadelphia School
District and police have been trying to iron out policy.
State law requires school administrators to contact police any time a weapon
is used on school grounds - even accidentally. A school district
spokesperson says there's been one sticking point in the policy
negotiations: handcuffing children younger than 10 if they're not an
imminent threat.

Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson has ordered an inquiry into this most
recent incident. Right now, police are leaning towards a policy that would
require a police supervisor be called to the school and the supervisor would
assess the case and determine how the students are treated.

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Welcome to the new police state everyone!

I'm waiting for the Thought Police to start making rounds... won't that be
fun!

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"(9/11 & the aftermath will) require a re-evaluation of the
importance of some of our specific civil liberties.
I think there are going to be debates about what can't
be said where, what can be printed where, what kind
of freedom of movement people have and whether it's
OK for a policeman to ask for your ID just because you're
walking down the street."

-- Howard Dean after 9/11