A police officer was harrassing my 15 year old son after he was involved in an altercation at school. He was going to force my son to sign a ticket for fighting at school. I was not there yet and he told my son that he was going to put him in cuffs and carry his a** to the courthouse and then to TYC. He proceeded to tell him that in Texas 12 rednecks would not believe him over the other person. Our son has not been in trouble before and was defending himself and pushed the person off of him. The vice principle denied him medical help and let this officer verbally abuse our son. What can we do?!
2007-02-15 02:57:35 · 21 answers · asked by stanford66 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Yes, they can deal with your kid without your presence. I hate the rule as much as you do. I worked in a criminal defense law firm and we also did juvenile cases. Many cases wouldn't have gone to court if 1/ the kids knew their legal rights and not to answer any questions or talk about any incidents and 2/ if the parents were there to tell their kids to be quiet.
In the future, tell your son that the only thing he is required to do is to show identification if a cop asks (or just give his full legal name) and current address. Beyond that, he should be taught not to speak to the police without an attorney.
Get a lawyer hon to help sort this out. The lawyer should have an investigator that will find other witnesses that directly saw what happened and testify your son was merely defending another. That is a good defense if it can be proven.
As for the school, you should go to thru the PTA or a school board meeting and argue that policies should be changed in regards to how they handle incidents that are turned over to the police. It should be school policy that parents are called immediately.
Unfortunately, it's very advantageous in many cases for the parents not to be around when juveniles are questioned. There are incidents in which I used this strategy myself when our law office defended a client. Teenages specifically, are deemed to have the intelligence and understanding to give statements on their own. As a mother, however, I'm very against this rule and once my kids are old enough, I'll educate them to NOT answer questions.
Good luck.
2007-02-15 03:09:12 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa S 3 · 3⤊ 4⤋
First: talk to the principle of the school, second a letter to the school board, third go to the police station and sign a complaint against the police officer. A visit to the newspaper office might garner some publicity for your cause.
Even if your child did deserve a ticket he should not have been verbally abused by the police officer. There should have been no threats. The police officer did not show the children how to act but was a horrible role model for them.
2007-02-15 03:54:22 · answer #2 · answered by elaeblue 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I teach in a Texas secondary school. Our students receive tickets from everything from fighting to vandalism.... as well they should. These are stated in school rules and enforced by the police if necessary. No parent is present. It simply means the young person appears before a judge os a specific date... who usually assigns community service for first time offenders. The vice principals are not in charge of police officers; their job assignment does not allow them to "let" the officer do anything. In fights, after all witnesses tell their accounts, it usually apears that both persons involved were equally guilty.
2007-02-15 03:27:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
What you can do is this: Teach your 15-year-old that there are other ways to solve a dispute than putting hands on another person. Teach him how to control his anger. Teach him that there is no excuse for fighting on the school grounds and it is never OK to do it. Teach him to keep is mouth under control when speaking with authority figures such as the vice-principle and the police officer.
From the tone of your question, I suspect that your son didn't just stand mute in front of the officer. He must take responsibility for his actions - and his words.
2007-02-15 03:05:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
While the officer's attitude may not be proper, he was right about one thing. The signature on the ticket is a promise to appear in court. If he refuses to sign, the officer can arrest him and take him immediately before a judge.
You do not have to be there for this to happen. His juvenile status still offers him certain protections. The ticket is in lieu of arrest. It is a Misdemeanor Citation.
2007-02-15 03:03:27 · answer #5 · answered by Steve H 5 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Take this up with the Principal. If they do nothing go to the School Superintendent, then on to the local School Board/Board of Education. The next stop beyond that is the State Bord of Education, and after that it's the US Justice System. That a school will allow a police officer to perform an arrest on an otherwise orderly student is unconscionable.
2007-02-15 03:05:14 · answer #6 · answered by sjsosullivan 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt, just an acknowledgment of the reception of the ticket and that you will show in court or pay the fine.
2007-02-15 04:33:59 · answer #7 · answered by Kevy 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
From the time your son enters the school till the time he leaves, as long as he is on school property, the school IS his guardian. Read the agreement you sign when enrolling him... take any complaints to the School Board...
2007-02-15 03:11:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I tend to believe due to fact that you admit your "angel" has been in trouble before he most likely lied about his contact with the cops. Typical for a delinquent. you might try to stop babying him and let him face the consequences of his actions.If not I see a future full of license plate making
2007-02-15 04:52:30 · answer #9 · answered by watchman_1900 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Oh my God, you are one of those pain in the as.s parents that believe everything their kids tell them. Signing the ticket is in lieu of taking him to juvenile hall! Just like when you get a traffic ticket, you don't HAVE to sign, if you don't mind going to jail until a judge sees you.
I see you are believing the entire story as well without seeing the fight.
What you can do is pull your heads out of your butts.
2007-02-15 03:02:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 1⤋