Quote of the day: 7 year old terrorist might escape police custody and run away

“He had to be handcuffed — he was a prisoner. If we didn’t handcuff him and he ran out the front door, then we would have had an escaped prisoner on our hands.”

Is this a quote about an alleged terrorist planning to blow up a government building? Is it about a bank robber? Nope, that quote is attributed to an NYPD source, explaining why a 7 year old boy from the Bronx was handcuffed to a wall for 5 hours over a disputed allegedly stolen $5. Yes, Five Dollars. In School.

Because it would be nearly practically actually impossible for a precinct full of adult police officers to catch a 7 year old “escaped prisoner” who might run away from them. Over Five Dollars. Because a 7 year old “escaped prisoner” who allegedly stole Five Dollars is a huge threat to society and we might not ever find him again if we didn't handcuff him to a wall for 5 hours. He might not even be in his bed at 8pm that night to be found.

Oh noes!

“Cops treated the boy as kindly as possible, the source added.”

Ummm, I’m thinking chaining him to a wall for 5 hours over Five Dollars is not as kindly as possible. The little boy was actually arrested and charged. Yes. Charged with robbery. Of Five Dollars. Jean Valjean who?

When my kids were 7, if they’d taken someone else’s $5, you bet I would have had my kid in front of the other kid & their parents, apologizing & returning the money. And grounded him for a good long time. But would I really have wanted him arrested? Uhhh…

We actually ran across this in reverse. A kid in elementary school – kind of a bully kid at the time – stole  Oldest’s wallet. Oldest told his teacher, who had the child return it and sent him to the office. I believe he was suspended for a couple days. Which seemed fine to all parties. The boys were in 4th or 5th grade at the time. Older than 7. Did I call the police? Did I ask for him to be chained to a wall? No, not even for a few minutes, much less 5 hours.

Children are not little adults. They often learn right & wrong by making mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are whoppers. But they learn and grow from those mistakes. That kid who stole my son’s wallet? Yeah, when they hit high school, the boys became friends. And I understand he’s a great kid. At least according to Oldest. All’s well that ends well.

You cannot treat a 7 year old like an adult. Not that I would expect an adult to be chained to a wall over a $5 dispute. Suspend him from school for a day? Sure. Ground him? Sure. Have the campus cop give him a talking to? Sure.

NYPD, you really aren’t doing much for your image here. You are a bunch of bullies. I hear the mother is thinking of suing you for $250 million. While I think that’s pretty excessive (kind of like handcuffing a 7-year old to a wall for 5 hours over Five Dollars because he might escape otherwise is pretty excessive), I hope the judgment against you is swift.

For this, NYPD earns a You've Got Balls award.