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Officer Under Investigation After Arresting 6-Year-Olds, Chief Says Officer Under Investigation After Arresting 6-Year-Olds, Chief Says
(about 4 hours later)
Update: Officer Dennis Turner was terminated on Monday.
An Orlando, Fla., police officer is under investigation after he arrested two children, both 6, in separate episodes at a school on Thursday, the police said.An Orlando, Fla., police officer is under investigation after he arrested two children, both 6, in separate episodes at a school on Thursday, the police said.
The officer, Dennis Turner, has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation, Orlando Rolón, the police chief, said in a statement.The officer, Dennis Turner, has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation, Orlando Rolón, the police chief, said in a statement.
Officer Turner was working as a school resource officer at a charter school when he arrested the children, Chief Rolón said.Officer Turner was working as a school resource officer at a charter school when he arrested the children, Chief Rolón said.
Officer Turner was assigned to the Reserve Officer Program. Details of the program were unavailable, but The Orlando Sentinel reported that it is made up of retired officers from the Orlando Police Department.Officer Turner was assigned to the Reserve Officer Program. Details of the program were unavailable, but The Orlando Sentinel reported that it is made up of retired officers from the Orlando Police Department.
Departmental policy requires officers to get a supervisor’s approval when arresting anyone under age 12.Departmental policy requires officers to get a supervisor’s approval when arresting anyone under age 12.
During the arrest of one of the children, the transporting officer was unaware that Officer Turner had failed to get a supervisor’s approval, the chief said.During the arrest of one of the children, the transporting officer was unaware that Officer Turner had failed to get a supervisor’s approval, the chief said.
The child was processed through the Juvenile Assessment Center and released to a relative shortly after, Chief Rolón said.The child was processed through the Juvenile Assessment Center and released to a relative shortly after, Chief Rolón said.
The gender of the child and what led to the arrest were not disclosed.The gender of the child and what led to the arrest were not disclosed.
The police previously reported that one of the children was 8 years old, but on Monday they confirmed that both were 6. The children’s names were not released.The police previously reported that one of the children was 8 years old, but on Monday they confirmed that both were 6. The children’s names were not released.
The officer who transported the other 6-year-old to the center verified that Officer Turner had not received approval for the arrest and immediately halted the process. According to Chief Rolón, the child was returned to school before being processed.The officer who transported the other 6-year-old to the center verified that Officer Turner had not received approval for the arrest and immediately halted the process. According to Chief Rolón, the child was returned to school before being processed.
“As a grandparent of three children less than 11 years old, this is very concerning to me,” he said.“As a grandparent of three children less than 11 years old, this is very concerning to me,” he said.
Meralyn Kirkland told the television station WKMG that her 6-year-old granddaughter Kaia had been arrested after having a tantrum at the charter school, Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy.Meralyn Kirkland told the television station WKMG that her 6-year-old granddaughter Kaia had been arrested after having a tantrum at the charter school, Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy.
Ms. Kirkland said she received a call informing her that Kaia had kicked a staff member at the school, had been charged with battery and was on her way to the Juvenile Assessment Center.Ms. Kirkland said she received a call informing her that Kaia had kicked a staff member at the school, had been charged with battery and was on her way to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Ms. Kirkland said she tried to explain to Officer Turner that her granddaughter had sleep apnea, a sleep disorder, and that they were working to resolve it.Ms. Kirkland said she tried to explain to Officer Turner that her granddaughter had sleep apnea, a sleep disorder, and that they were working to resolve it.
She told the station that Officer Turner had responded, “Well, I have sleep apnea, and I don’t behave like that.”She told the station that Officer Turner had responded, “Well, I have sleep apnea, and I don’t behave like that.”
“No 6-year-old child should be able to tell somebody that they had handcuffs on them and they were riding in the back of a police car,” Ms. Kirkland said.“No 6-year-old child should be able to tell somebody that they had handcuffs on them and they were riding in the back of a police car,” Ms. Kirkland said.
Officer Turner served on the police force for 23 years and retired in June 2018, according to the department. By the end of his career, he was earning more than $100,000 a year, according to a database of public officials’ salaries maintained by The Orlando Business Journal.Officer Turner served on the police force for 23 years and retired in June 2018, according to the department. By the end of his career, he was earning more than $100,000 a year, according to a database of public officials’ salaries maintained by The Orlando Business Journal.
Officer Turner was charged with aggravated child abuse in 1998 in connection with his 7-year-old son, The Orlando Sentinel reported. He was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, The Sentinel reported, but the disposition of the case was unclear on Sunday.Officer Turner was charged with aggravated child abuse in 1998 in connection with his 7-year-old son, The Orlando Sentinel reported. He was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, The Sentinel reported, but the disposition of the case was unclear on Sunday.
In 2016, he was reprimanded for using excessive force after stunning a man five times with a Taser during an arrest, the newspaper reported.In 2016, he was reprimanded for using excessive force after stunning a man five times with a Taser during an arrest, the newspaper reported.
Neither Officer Turner nor Ms. Kirkland could be reached for comment on Sunday.Neither Officer Turner nor Ms. Kirkland could be reached for comment on Sunday.
Administrators at the charter school, which serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade, did not respond to calls or emails on Sunday.Administrators at the charter school, which serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade, did not respond to calls or emails on Sunday.
Dr. Victor M. Fornari, the vice chairman for child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwell Health’s Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., said it was hard to argue that children as young as 6 could merit being arrested.Dr. Victor M. Fornari, the vice chairman for child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwell Health’s Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., said it was hard to argue that children as young as 6 could merit being arrested.
The mental health system — not the criminal justice system — is the one commonly relied on in a situation like this, he said.The mental health system — not the criminal justice system — is the one commonly relied on in a situation like this, he said.
“Arresting them and putting them under handcuffs is traumatizing,” he said. “There’s no clinical benefit to the child or society.”“Arresting them and putting them under handcuffs is traumatizing,” he said. “There’s no clinical benefit to the child or society.”