Title: Cops Tackle 11-Year-Old Girl and Hold Her at Gunpoint, In Her Own Home Source:
Free Thought Project URL Source:http://thefreethoughtproject.com/co ... old-girl-ground-gunpoint-home/ Published:Feb 3, 2015 Author:John Vibes Post Date:2015-02-03 07:51:28 by Deckard Keywords:Badged Thugs, Coward Cops, Power Trip Views:23285 Comments:51
Groveland, Florida – Two Florida cops are being accused of throwing an 11-year-old girl to the ground and holding her at gunpoint in her own home.
The police were dispatched to the home because someone had accidentally set off the burglar alarm. Since the alarm tripped accidentally, no one in the house was aware that the police were on their way. When officers let themselves into the house with guns drawn, it was a total surprise to the young girl who was sitting at home watching television.
“One of the officers was pushing me down and when he was pushing me down, (he) put his knee on me and the other officer had his gun pointed at me,” the young girl told Channel 9.
The girl’s father, Jean Guirand couldn’t imagine how the police officers would possibly think that she was a threat, and treat her that way in her own home.
“Someone should get fired for doing something like this,” Guirand said.
He also told reporters that his daughter was traumatized by the experience.
When the story went public, it was discovered that the officers involved have a short history with the police force, but a long list of complaints. According to Channel 9 news, Officers James Festa and John Rigdon have only been with the department for three years, but both have been disciplined several times.
According to his personal file, Festa was reprimanded in December for botching a child abuse investigation, and was suspended for sleeping on the job back in 2013. Meanwhile, Rigdon was suspended in May and demoted in 2013 and has been accused of filing false police reports on several occasions.
Instances of police throwing young folks on the ground and holding them at gunpoint, in their own home aren’t isolated. In October, a North Carolina teen was assaulted and pepper sprayed by police in his own home after he was mistaken for a burglar. 18-year-old DeShawn Currie was accused of robbing the house in which he lived.
"The girl’s father, Jean Guirand couldn’t imagine how the police officers would possibly think that she was a threat ..."
Really? He can't imagine how an 11-year-old can be a threat? I can.
"... and treat her that way in her own home."
Right. They knew it was her home.
The cops did not have to know that is was the girl's house. That is not what Deckard is asking.
The question is, what caused the cops to continue to treat the girl as a threat long after it was obvious that she was not? It takes less than a 20 seconds to observe the behavior and state of mind that a suspect is in, an also take a survey of the level of armament that the suspect has in their immediate surroundings. Isolate and question, while treating the suspect with an appropriate level of respect.
When surrounded by unknowns, the last thing a person should do is react in the most severe manner possible in hopes that nothing bad would happen. I do not see a reason for two grown men to fear a child after they determine that A) she is not armed and B) they find that it is her home after they question if it is her home. Waltzing in and apprehending everyone or shooting up the place is more Hollywood-esque and the reason that debates like these happen all of the time.
From the scant few details, it would be hard to tell what transpired, but it does seem like these two cops could find more suitable employment in another field of work.
"The question is, what caused the cops to continue to treat the girl as a threat long after it was obvious that she was not?"
Long after? What are you talking about?
As soon as they determined she was not a threat, they let her up and proceeded down the hallway to her father's room. Keep in mind, the police were operating under the premise that there was a burglar in the house.
"B) they find that it is her home after they question if it is her home."
They asked her if it was her home and she said 'no'. Are we talking about the same incident?
