Nov. 13, 2004 – The Miami-Dade Police Department has come under fire for using Tasers to electrically shock a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old. In the first incident, an officer shocked a small boy in school who police say was holding a piece of glass and had cut himself. The second incident occurred when a police officer chased a young girl who was reportedly intoxicated and skipping school.
"It's appalling that a 6-year-old would have 50,000 volts of electricity shot through his body," said Modesto Abety, who heads a local child advocacy group, Children's Trust, as quoted by the Miami Herald. "I'm not sure what type of damage high-shot voltage would do to a child that small."
Police Director Bobby Parker defended the officer who shocked the 6-year-old, telling the Herald that the officer had determined the boy was a threat. He did not defend the second incident, but said the department’s policy is under review.
"I couldn't imagine why a police officer would use that kind of device on a child," Marvin Dunn, a psychology professor and former principal told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "I can restrain a 6-year-old with one hand. I don't get it."
The Sun-Sentinel also reported that Miami-Dade police protocols only prohibit the use of stun devices on pregnant women, and that officers on the scene contacted their superiors for permission to shock the child.
