Unacceptable, Unsafe, Unthinkable, Unbelievable!

Well, I have a story we can all learn from.  It's a real eye-opener and something we probably wouldn't talk to our children about. 

My fifteen year old cousin - that's right, my uncle is only twelve years older than me - was walking in broad daylight Saturday afternoon.  He was by himself going from point A to point B and he stopped to make a phone call in front of a church.  As he was standing there, a van pulled up, several men jumped out, said they were the police and told him he had to get in the van.  They were not in uniform and did not show their identification.  He said "no" and started backing away, they persisted, and he took off running.  When they caught him, they threw him to the ground - he started swinging, they held a gun to his head and handcuffed him.  He started screaming "help me".

Finally a uniformed policeman approached, after he was on the ground, handcuffed with a gun to his head.  What the hell is going on?!  One of the several undercover detectives realized this poor kid thinks he's being kidnapped.  "Hello - why wouldn't he think that, you haven't shown him any ID?"

My aunt and uncle got a phone call that their fifteen year old son is at the precinct and being held for assaulting a police officer.  Imagine that phone call.

Fastforward - the police apologized for the way they handled the situation.  There had been some recent vandalism in the area and they thought he looked suspicious.  Realizing that they did not properly identify themselves, they let him go.

What would you do?  I would do something.  He was traumatized.  Will he get over having a gun held to his head?- HE'S FIFTEEN, MAKING A PHONE CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IN A VERY NICE AREA!  What if that gun went off when he started swinging, thinking he was fighting for his life?  It could happen to anyone. 

We told our children, who do walk around town sometimes, - stay with someone and you do not have to go with anyone that says they're the police and haven't shown you ID.

Thankful and horrified,
NeuroticMom