Dad arrested at school after daughter draws picture of gun

[The Green Barbarian]

http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/02/24/po ... ous-crayon

When Jessie Sansone was picking up his kids from school last week in Kitchener, Ont., he was asked to go to the principal’s office.

There were three cops waiting there who arrested him, handcuffed him and took him down to the police station, where he was strip searched.

Then more cops went to his home where his wife, while caring for a 15-month-old baby, was told to go down to the police station, too. And then they searched his house. Without a warrant. Why? What did Sansone do?

Nothing. They didn’t find anything in the house when they searched it. They didn’t find anything on him when they searched him.

A warrantless arrest and strip search and search of his house. Why?

Because at school, his four-year-old daughter drew a picture of a gun and, when asked about it, told her teacher her daddy uses it to shoot bad guys and monsters. Seriously.

So her kindergarten teacher called Family and Children’s Services. Seriously.

And they called the cops. Seriously. And they arrested and searched him. Seriously.

Because a kid drew a picture of a gun. I hear rumours that some kids, especially boys, sometimes draw pictures of robots with lasers, too. And supersonic fighter planes. Maybe we should arrest their parents, too.

But the thing about guns is they’re not illegal. Even under the Liberals. We didn’t have a gun ban, just a gun registry.

What’s the excuse given for the strip search by the Waterloo Regional Police? Inspector Kevin Thaler says it was done “for officer safety, because it’s a firearms-related incident,” the Waterloo Record reported.

Sorry. Did he just call a child’s doodle a “firearms incident?” Is there so little crime in Kitchener that three policemen are dispatched to school because a kindergarten kid drew a gun, and more officers to the home?

The cops were stupid. We pay cops not to be stupid. We pay them not to be political, or bitchy, or to take sides in personal vendettas. They’re supposed to be the grown-ups. They’re supposed to use their discretion.

A child’s drawing of a gun — which does not depict a crime, by the way — is not a public safety matter. It’s not a police matter. We have come to expect this anti-family, snitch-style of justice from Family and Children’s Services. They regularly abuse families with whom they simply disagree about things, like the style of parenting or religion.

Alison Scott, the executive director of Family and Children’s Services, went even nuttier.

“From a public safety point of view, any child drawing a picture of guns and saying there’s guns in a home would warrant some further conversation with the parents and child,” she told the Record.

Really? So merely owning a firearm is a public safety matter, time for an intervention?

But Alison Scott didn’t have a conversation with parents and child, did she? She didn’t give the parents the courtesy of a phone call, or a casual inquiry. She didn’t stay calm and normal. She went into nanny state mode. She went into KGB mode. She cut the family right out of it.

Question: Where is the liberal media? You know, the ones who freaked out a week ago when Public Safety Minister Vic Toews proposed a law to allow police to get basic information about their Internet use? Toews just wanted to let cops get your e-mail address, but they’d still have to get a search warrant for anything more. National freak-out.

Here we have a child’s crayon drawing leading to a strip search, handcuffing and home invasion. Where’s the reaction? Why doesn’t the liberal media care about civil liberties when it’s a property rights issue or a firearms issue or a family sovereignty issue?

That’s the thing about civil liberties. It can’t just be for pornographers or Muslim terror suspects.

Civil liberties have to be there for lawful gun owners.

And parents of creative children who are dangerous enough to draw a crayon gun.

[DaveC]

If I showed up at the school to pick up my kid and they tried to arrest me for something so stupid I'd probably end up giving them a damn good reason to arrest me.

No, the only thing you do is comply with the police, and get yourself a good lawyer so you can sue each and everyone of these fools.

Yes I agree completely. This is the correct action. Defying cops is a universally bad idea.If you "give them a reason" you've just tanked your chances for an apology and settlement, and you can bet on a few nasty bruises and perhaps a Taser burn or two.

[twobits]

I am thinking the guy has already been approached by a lawyer to sue the Childrens MInistry, Police, and School District on a contingency. Pretty sure he'll have a nice college fund for all the kids and it won't even make it to court. And he'll deserve it. What a bunch of morons!

[Sn0man]

If you "give them a reason" you've just tanked your chances for an apology and settlement, and you can bet on a few nasty bruises and perhaps a Taser burn or two.

Or you might get shot in the back:

TORONTO - A Toronto police officer is facing a charge of second-degree murder in what's being called an extreme rarity in the country and a first in the history of the force.

Const. David Cavanagh was originally charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Eric Osawe, 26, in September 2010. It was upgraded Thursday at a court appearance from the original charge.

The Special Investigations Unit, an arm's-length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault, laid the charge in consultation with the Crown.

It's the first time a Toronto police officer has been charged with murder for an on-the-job incident and it sends a "very disturbing message" to police, said Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/toronto-police-officer-charged-second-degree-murder-shooting-152813331.html

[Popeye69]

If I showed up at the school to pick up my kid and they tried to arrest me for something so stupid I'd probably end up giving them a damn good reason to arrest me.

No, the only thing you do is comply with the police, and get yourself a good lawyer so you can sue each and everyone of these fools.

Lol ya that would be the better idea. Man I'd love to strangle them all though...

[Ken7]

If I showed up at the school to pick up my kid and they tried to arrest me for something so stupid I'd probably end up giving them a damn good reason to arrest me.

You better pull open a can of spinach, before whippin out that can of whoop-ass!! LOL

Really is the advice of a good lawyer is maybe better, money in your pocket!! Cha Ching!! :nyah:

[MAPearce]

Too much and way too far.... Tell me KL , Trunk , Kenyo and goatboy , how we DON'T live in a police state .....


How can anyone support THAT ???

[Ken7]

Too much and way too far.... Tell me KL , Trunk , Kenyo and goatboy , how we DON'T live in a police state .....


How can anyone support THAT ???

Not sure if I'd call it a police state, I agree with you this should not have occurred!

As I've stated earlier, those who interviewed this child really should not have acted upon the information they received. A child at that age is wanting to please the interviewer with their responses. By the results of this whole investigation, it would appear questioning of that child was not done properly.

A gun is a gun to a little one at that age.

I do hope that as a result of this case they review their policies on who interviews children as it appears the person who did was not trained. Children are the most difficult of all interviews to do.

Did you ever hear of Martinsville Saskatchewan? Four police officers, several I knew personally were accused of sexual assault of children at a day care, as a result of a interview done by a member who was not properly trained!

[MAPearce]

We need protection from those who proclaim to be protecting us it seems.

It's bad enough that this whole thing happened in the first place but for the "investigating authorities" to defend their actions like they did is just plain frightening ...

[Ken7]

We need protection from those who proclaim to be protecting us it seems.

It's bad enough that this whole thing happened in the first place but for the "investigating authorities" to defend their actions like they did is just plain frightening ...

I'm not defending their actions, it is not my place.

I am saying from my personal knowledge and training it is apparent that those officers involved failed and were not properly trained to deal with this matter.

Unfortunately, they can not change the past although I hope as I'm sure you do they learn from their mistake!!

[MAPearce]

Hard to call this a mistake Kenyo...More like over zealousness from all who where involved.

I don't think any one ,although I'd like to think so , is even the least bit willing to accept their actions as anything but " in the best interests of the child"....

Sad really....

[Ken7]

Hard to call this a mistake Kenyo...More like over zealousness from all who where involved.

I don't think any one ,although I'd like to think so , is even the least bit willing to accept their actions as anything but " in the best interests of the child"....

Sad really....

I do hope you're incorrect on that one!!
Once the law suit hits the courts, which it should not have to be, there will I'm sure be some policy changes!!

[MAPearce]

Hard to call this a mistake Kenyo...More like over zealousness from all who where involved.

I don't think any one ,although I'd like to think so , is even the least bit willing to accept their actions as anything but " in the best interests of the child"....

Sad really....

I do hope you're incorrect on that one!!
Once the law suit hits the courts, which it should not have to be, there will I'm sure be some policy changes!!

I hope so...I also hope that this "incident" doesn't follow him via CPIC like some false accusations do to other people.

That is why I really think this whole thing is sad.

[Ken7]

Hard to call this a mistake Kenyo...More like over zealousness from all who where involved.

I don't think any one ,although I'd like to think so , is even the least bit willing to accept their actions as anything but " in the best interests of the child"....

Sad really....

I do hope you're incorrect on that one!!
Once the law suit hits the courts, which it should not have to be, there will I'm sure be some policy changes!!

I hope so...I also hope that this "incident" doesn't follow him via CPIC like some false accusations do to other people.

That is why I really think this whole thing is sad.

It shouldn't as CPIC is for convictions only.

I'm not saying it will vanish from records depending upon what system they use. However, it will show that the file was not valid and a story of some sort will be documented.

[MAPearce]

It shouldn't as CPIC is for convictions only.

I'm not saying it will vanish from records depending upon what system they use. However, it will show that the file was not valid and a story of some sort will be documented

Sure Kenyo....Sure.. I'm a "Caution Victor" for something charged against me and UNPROVEN for over 20 years.Despite my not guilty plea AND my accusers convenient ,but not surprising, absence in court the day of the trial.....Police records work in mysterious and unfair ways and I'm told by a family member of the police force that put the "V" into CPIC on my name that it's MY responsibility to have it removed....

I feel sorry for this innocent dad...End of story.