Free-range kids picked up AGAIN by police

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If the police had stopped and asked two little kids if they were all right and then let them go on their way, and then something bad happened to the kids between there and home, would lots of people be posting here wondering why the police officer didn't make sure that two very young children made it safely home?
Would they wonder why a police officer who had had a chance to make a difference just let two little kids go walking down the street by themselves?

Yes, it something bad had happened to them, people would blame the police officer and the parents. Same as if the parents were there supervising, too. People are always looking for who to blame.

The good news is that a lot of the bad things that can happen to unsupervised kids can be avoided by appropriate supervision. Many times adults will recognize and avoid dangers that children will not. Can every possible danger be avoided? Obviously not, but enough can be that it can make a difference.

[Anonymous]

I blame the 911 operator and the overly generous police budgets. "Hello, there are two kids walking around my neighborhood." "Why don't you come up to them and ask them if anything is wrong. And if there is, by all means call us back. All our police cars are currently too busy chasing murderers and the like."

[Anonymous]

I blame the 911 operator and the overly generous police budgets. "Hello, there are two kids walking around my neighborhood." "Why don't you come up to them and ask them if anything is wrong. And if there is, by all means call us back. All our police cars are currently too busy chasing murderers and the like."

Um no. I recently called animal control to report that there was a cat outside my house that appeared to be ill and they suggested that I go examine it. Just no. If the police don't think it is an issue, don't show up, but it isn't the job of the person calling in whatever they believe is a concern to investigate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I blame the 911 operator and the overly generous police budgets. "Hello, there are two kids walking around my neighborhood." "Why don't you come up to them and ask them if anything is wrong. And if there is, by all means call us back. All our police cars are currently too busy chasing murderers and the like."

DA FUQ!
You mean to tell me that you think that the police should ignore calls about kids being in possible danger if someone takes the time to call
In any given situation the caller may have misread the situation - BUT I'll be damn if I want the cops to ignore it and miss the even REMOTE possibility of aiding a kid that is in any REAL trouble.
There were plenty of times I just knew the cops were going to be called about my screaming colicky baby. Would I have been mad if my neighbors called because they thought it was a problem -- HELL NO!
I am glad someone would be on the lookout for kids in trouble, and when the po-po gets there, we sort it out then.

[Anonymous]

the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

Because an adult authority assessment is much better than that of a 10 year old who does not have enough sense to go up to strangers and strange dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

Because an adult authority assessment is much better than that of a 10 year old who does not have enough sense to go up to strangers and strange dogs.

I am 54 and routinely ask people if I can say hello to and pet their dogs. I love dogs and love to say hello to them.

I don't just walk up to them; I ask first. Which is what this child did. If the person says no, then I just go on my way.

Makes sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If the police had stopped and asked two little kids if they were all right and then let them go on their way, and then something bad happened to the kids between there and home, would lots of people be posting here wondering why the police officer didn't make sure that two very young children made it safely home?
Would they wonder why a police officer who had had a chance to make a difference just let two little kids go walking down the street by themselves?

Absolutely. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I, for one, am thankful that the 911 caller took the time and interest to be concerned about the welfare of the children and glad that the police took the situation seriously.

Me too. Better to err on the side of caution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

Because an adult authority assessment is much better than that of a 10 year old who does not have enough sense to go up to strangers and strange dogs.

I am 54 and routinely ask people if I can say hello to and pet their dogs. I love dogs and love to say hello to them.

I don't just walk up to them; I ask first. Which is what this child did. If the person says no, then I just go on my way.

Makes sense to me.

You are 54, not 10. I don't believe in kids just randomly going up to people they do not know, especially if a "safeside" adult is not around.
I have a 10 yr old, I am teaching her about assessing situations and who may or may not be safe. And I sure as hell do not want her going to someone she does not know and asking about their dog, just like I teach her not to go near a stranger's car if they tell her they have a puppy or candy or ice cream.
Geez -- I let my kid have freedom and do things unsupervised, but free range does not mean freedom from common damn sense and an eye out for safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If the police had stopped and asked two little kids if they were all right and then let them go on their way, and then something bad happened to the kids between there and home, would lots of people be posting here wondering why the police officer didn't make sure that two very young children made it safely home?
Would they wonder why a police officer who had had a chance to make a difference just let two little kids go walking down the street by themselves?

Why do people keep referring to a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old as "very young children" and to a 10-year-old as a "little kid"?

And if the police officer wanted to make sure that the children made it safely home, the best way to do that would be to drive the children home. But CPS didn't let the police officer do that.

I guess everything is relative. When your oldest kids are 18 or older or if you work with kids, you realize how very young 6 and 10 are.

Then what are preschool kids? Very, very young children? Tiny wee kids?

infant, toddlers, preschool, little, tween, teen,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three separate adults, on three separate occasions, thought something was not right and called the police when they saw the 2 kids on their own.

If this had happened just once, I could blow it off as a randomly paranoid person. But three different people? on three different occasions?

It's not a minor thing to call the police/911. It's going out of your way. Why did these three people do that?

Seems to me that for average people out there, it looked like the children were either in a potentially dangerous situation or possibly being neglected.

I for one am glad that we live in a community where strangers care enough about the situation to call the police. You know there are children out there who are neglected, or abused, the signs are there and no one does anything (Relisha Rudd and others). Sounds like the situation on Sunday could have been handled better, but I for one am not faulting the police officer. Somehow the kids are flagged in the system for him to contact CPS. What was he supposed to do, ignore that? Just return the kids to their home, not knowing why they'd been flagged by CPS? What if the kids were truly being neglected? (and maybe they are)

Maybe because the 10 year old is little. Poor kid. Growth hormones would get CPS off their case.

maybe they are vegan, the parents look like death

You know the man thought they were homeless. They kids look like hell too, and they look like they cut their own hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

Because an adult authority assessment is much better than that of a 10 year old who does not have enough sense to go up to strangers and strange dogs.

I am 54 and routinely ask people if I can say hello to and pet their dogs. I love dogs and love to say hello to them.

I don't just walk up to them; I ask first. Which is what this child did. If the person says no, then I just go on my way.

Makes sense to me.

You are 54, not 10. I don't believe in kids just randomly going up to people they do not know, especially if a "safeside" adult is not around.
I have a 10 yr old, I am teaching her about assessing situations and who may or may not be safe. And I sure as hell do not want her going to someone she does not know and asking about their dog, just like I teach her not to go near a stranger's car if they tell her they have a puppy or candy or ice cream.
Geez -- I let my kid have freedom and do things unsupervised, but free range does not mean freedom from common damn sense and an eye out for safety.

+1 I dog jumps on a 200lb man vs a dog jumps up on a (what looks to be) 20lb kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three separate adults, on three separate occasions, thought something was not right and called the police when they saw the 2 kids on their own.

If this had happened just once, I could blow it off as a randomly paranoid person. But three different people? on three different occasions?

It's not a minor thing to call the police/911. It's going out of your way. Why did these three people do that?

Seems to me that for average people out there, it looked like the children were either in a potentially dangerous situation or possibly being neglected.

I for one am glad that we live in a community where strangers care enough about the situation to call the police. You know there are children out there who are neglected, or abused, the signs are there and no one does anything (Relisha Rudd and others). Sounds like the situation on Sunday could have been handled better, but I for one am not faulting the police officer. Somehow the kids are flagged in the system for him to contact CPS. What was he supposed to do, ignore that? Just return the kids to their home, not knowing why they'd been flagged by CPS? What if the kids were truly being neglected? (and maybe they are)

Maybe because the 10 year old is little. Poor kid. Growth hormones would get CPS off their case.

maybe they are vegan, the parents look like death

Let's see a photo or two of you. We will all comment on your appearance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the cops can't ignore a call about kids. Imagine if something *did* happen? They'd be in a huge amount of trouble.

But there was nothing in the 911 tape that supported they were in harms way. They asked to pet the guys dog and then walked down the street. How does that make someone call 911. Why not just ask the kids if they are OK?

Because an adult authority assessment is much better than that of a 10 year old who does not have enough sense to go up to strangers and strange dogs.

I am 54 and routinely ask people if I can say hello to and pet their dogs. I love dogs and love to say hello to them.

I don't just walk up to them; I ask first. Which is what this child did. If the person says no, then I just go on my way.

Makes sense to me.

You are 54, not 10. I don't believe in kids just randomly going up to people they do not know, especially if a "safeside" adult is not around.
I have a 10 yr old, I am teaching her about assessing situations and who may or may not be safe. And I sure as hell do not want her going to someone she does not know and asking about their dog, just like I teach her not to go near a stranger's car if they tell her they have a puppy or candy or ice cream.
Geez -- I let my kid have freedom and do things unsupervised, but free range does not mean freedom from common damn sense and an eye out for safety.

My kids are 5 and 7, and they love dogs, since we have one, and they are instructed to always, ALWAYS, ask permission to pet a dog because some dogs just don't like people and will snap or bite. They don't need need my permission to do it. Why can't your 10 year old practice speaking to an adult who has a dog on a leash with them, look them in the eye, and ask to pet their dog???