Police arrested a 7-year-old boy,
BALTIMORE (AP) - Police arrested a 7-year-old boy, handcuffed him and hauled him down to the station house on a charge of riding a motorized dirt bike on a sidewalk.
Then, according to his mother, Gerard Mungo Jr. was handcuffed to a bench and interrogated before being released to his parents.
"They scared me," Gerard told The Baltimore Examiner before breaking down in tears.
Mayor Sheila Dixon apologized Friday for the arrest, and police commissioner Leonard Hamm said it would be investigated internally.
The arrest came after an officer saw Gerard riding his dirt bike on the sidewalk in east Baltimore on Tuesday, police spokesman Matt Jablow said. Hamm, citing the internal probe, declined to discuss how the rest of the incident unfolded.
Kikisa Dinkins said her son was sitting on the bike with the motor off on the sidewalk when an officer grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off.
"I told them to let go of my baby," Dinkins said. "Since when do you pull a 7-year-old child by his neck and drag him?"
Dinkins said she called for a police supervisor to intervene, but the confrontation continued to escalate after the supervisor arrived.
"They started yelling at him, 'Do you know what you did wrong, son?'" Dinkins said. "He was so scared he ran upstairs."
Police arrested Gerard and confiscated the bike.
Dinkins said officers fingerprinted him and took his mug shot. Hamm could not confirm that and said those actions would not have been normal procedure in a non-felony case.
Dinkins said the arrest scarred her son. "This has changed his life," she said. "He'll never be the same."
The Police Department's zero-tolerance arrest policy-begun under former Mayor Martin O'Malley, who is now Maryland's governor-has drawn complaints that such arrests occur most often in poor, black neighborhoods. Gerard is black.
Hamm said the officer had the option of talking with a parent or confiscating the bike. He said that although the city is concerned about nuisance dirt bikes, the arrest "was not consistent with my philosophy of trying to solve problems in the neighborhoods."
The mayor, who appeared Friday with Hamm, said she also planned to look into the case.
"It is clear to me that the arrest was wrong, that the officers on the scene should not have arrested the child, and on behalf of the City of Baltimore I apologize to the boy and his parents," Dixon said.
Then, according to his mother, Gerard Mungo Jr. was handcuffed to a bench and interrogated before being released to his parents.
"They scared me," Gerard told The Baltimore Examiner before breaking down in tears.
Mayor Sheila Dixon apologized Friday for the arrest, and police commissioner Leonard Hamm said it would be investigated internally.
The arrest came after an officer saw Gerard riding his dirt bike on the sidewalk in east Baltimore on Tuesday, police spokesman Matt Jablow said. Hamm, citing the internal probe, declined to discuss how the rest of the incident unfolded.
Kikisa Dinkins said her son was sitting on the bike with the motor off on the sidewalk when an officer grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off.
"I told them to let go of my baby," Dinkins said. "Since when do you pull a 7-year-old child by his neck and drag him?"
Dinkins said she called for a police supervisor to intervene, but the confrontation continued to escalate after the supervisor arrived.
"They started yelling at him, 'Do you know what you did wrong, son?'" Dinkins said. "He was so scared he ran upstairs."
Police arrested Gerard and confiscated the bike.
Dinkins said officers fingerprinted him and took his mug shot. Hamm could not confirm that and said those actions would not have been normal procedure in a non-felony case.
Dinkins said the arrest scarred her son. "This has changed his life," she said. "He'll never be the same."
The Police Department's zero-tolerance arrest policy-begun under former Mayor Martin O'Malley, who is now Maryland's governor-has drawn complaints that such arrests occur most often in poor, black neighborhoods. Gerard is black.
Hamm said the officer had the option of talking with a parent or confiscating the bike. He said that although the city is concerned about nuisance dirt bikes, the arrest "was not consistent with my philosophy of trying to solve problems in the neighborhoods."
The mayor, who appeared Friday with Hamm, said she also planned to look into the case.
"It is clear to me that the arrest was wrong, that the officers on the scene should not have arrested the child, and on behalf of the City of Baltimore I apologize to the boy and his parents," Dixon said.
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Wish we could hear the whole story on these kinds of incidents. The kid probably was told several times not to ride it on the sidewalk, and since mommy was there this time, he probably told the cops to go F-off. I'll bet the kid got what he deserved. 0 -
Another spectacular collar. The death dealing Bemo Kid is off the streets. [:o)][xx(]
Probably had to spike him after a chase of up to 7 MPH.[:0]0 -
Future COPS program scheduled with him involved in a stolen vehicle or drive by shooting , no doubt ! 0 -
they're just conditioning the kids to accept that the police state can do whatever they want whenever they want.
Just look at that "drug raid" where the goon squads stormed a school with machineguns and forced innocent civilians (children no less) to lie face-down in the corners of teh halls.
Excuse me, that is what TERRORISTS do, and I was taught that the proper thing to do with terrorists is blow them away! Now we are supposed to comply with people who use terrorist tactics on us.0 -
Thank you for proving my point. I bet arresting a 7yo kid took 5 squad cars and 10 officers armed and armored to the teeth. Helicopter and snipers too. Nah, cops are brave, nah, they are not bullies. Nah, cops do not handcuff underage kids. I hope Jessy Jackson or ACLU hears of these. I dislike Jessy Jackson, ACLU often piss me off, but I would love for them to get involved and make sure that those Gestapo thugs that pass as police officers never work in their lives again. I am really looking forward for those guys to loose their badges. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tigerclaw_x
Thank you for proving my point. I bet arresting a 7yo kid took 5 squad cars and 10 officers armed and armored to the teeth. Helicopter and snipers too. Nah, cops are brave, nah, they are not bullies. Nah, cops do not handcuff underage kids. I hope Jessy Jackson or ACLU hears of these. I dislike Jessy Jackson, ACLU often piss me off, but I would love for them to get involved and make sure that those Gestapo thugs that pass as police officers never work in their lives again. I am really looking forward for those guys to loose their badges.
i agree0 -
If its against the law to ride a dirt bike in the city limits why not just confiscate it, then sell it and make a pretty penny kid would be pissed off enough just at that.
Don't need to manhandle the little brat and possibly get in trouble yourself, pretty stupid and I hope they do get in deep crud for it.0 -
Well none of you live in Baltimore, Maryland huh ? We call it Bodymore, Murderland here.
ANY motorized dirt bike is ILLEGAL in the city, they are used to run drugs to dealers and flee police after crimes. Everybody knows it but they still bought the kid one anyway.
Can't count how many times its on the news some kid got hit on one as they run them in gangs thru traffic to steal, carjack and assualt people then get away.
Ever see any accident in Baltimore ? The "mob" come out of ever nook and cranny to swarm the spot before the police can arrive, be the person who hit a 7 year old and see what happens to you.
So the parents buy it , let the kid ride it on sidewalks ,streets anyway.
Lucky the father was not there to gain his "street cred" against the mean evil popo who are doing their job and want to go home safe to their families.0 -
"Wish we could hear the whole story on these kinds of incidents. The kid probably was told several times not to ride it on the sidewalk, and since mommy was there this time, he probably told the cops to go F-off. I'll bet the kid got what he deserved."
I bet you are right. These mamas beat their gums to death making excuses.
Twelve years from now, this woman will be in court, testifying, "My boy is a good boy. No way he murdered that other man. It wasn't his fault."0 -
quote:Originally posted by redice
If its against the law to ride a dirt bike in the city limits why not just confiscate it, then sell it and make a pretty penny kid would be pissed off enough just at that.
Don't need to manhandle the little brat and possibly get in trouble yourself, pretty stupid and I hope they do get in deep crud for it.
if he was taught to obey the rules BY HIS PARENTS he would not have been in this situation in the first place, probably deadbeat parents that just let'em do whatever0 -
quote:Originally posted by KSUmarksman
they're just conditioning the kids to accept that the police state can do whatever they want whenever they want.
Just look at that "drug raid" where the goon squads stormed a school with machineguns and forced innocent civilians (children no less) to lie face-down in the corners of teh halls.
Excuse me, that is what TERRORISTS do, and I was taught that the proper thing to do with terrorists is blow them away! Now we are supposed to comply with people who use terrorist tactics on us.
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quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
"Wish we could hear the whole story on these kinds of incidents. The kid probably was told several times not to ride it on the sidewalk, and since mommy was there this time, he probably told the cops to go F-off. I'll bet the kid got what he deserved."
I bet you are right. These mamas beat their gums to death making excuses.
Twelve years from now, this woman will be in court, testifying, "My boy is a good boy. No way he murdered that other man. It wasn't his fault."
X-ring on both of these posts.0 -
It's kinda like when you cross the white line and they got you on the side of the road telling you they can jail you for wreckless driving and giving you the sobriety test twice. 0 -
thats BS, you don't tie a seven year old kid to a bench, that cop should loose his job. You don't do something like that to a little kid for riding a dirt bike down the side walk, he may not of even known better.... This is crap.... This country is going to hell... 0 -
Ok, so dirt bikes are used by gangs? So are bicycles, cars. Gang member wear golden rings and chains. Lets arrest people for wearing them. Gang members listen to rap. Lets arrest people for listening to it. Frankly, I am more scared of SWAT, FBI, POLICE, SS, DEA, ATF, then I am of Al-Quaeda and all the gangs put together. I agree, the photo of the new face of terrorism is right on the money. 0 -
As other have said, I wish we had the whole story. 0 -
I was going to respond to this thread, but the anti police/we live in a police state crowd just had such a pervasave arguement that I would have to agree with them.
Oh you say they have no police training, nor experince? Oh but they must, because they have an opinion based on ????????????
And they were there, right? So they know exactly what happened because of an AP report? And all the facts always get into the press reports right?
Right!0 -
Baltimore. Hellhole.
Gotta be more to the story, because some of it just doesn't make sense. For one thing, this kid must be a lot bigger than your average 7-year-old, or the handcuffs wouldn't have even fit. I call BS on the handcuff part.
I am also willing to bet that the motorcycle violation had little to do with the arrest, but I don't know the laws in hell.
In Texas, no charges of any kind can be brought against a person under 10 years of age. That probably needs to be changed, but that's the way it is now. Children under 10 can be taken into protective custody, but that is usually only until a parent can be found, or else the officer believed the child needed to be removed from where it was for its own protection. Persons aged from 10 to 17 are classified as juveniles, and they cannot be "arrested," either. They are "detained." Same effect, but different terminology, different detention facility, and a different court.0 -
quote:
Dinkins said the arrest scarred her son. "This has changed his life," she said. "He'll never be the same."
Sniff sniff. I smell a lawsuit.0
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