SC - Columbia - Sheriff Slams Female Student to Floor In Class - #2

[katydid23]

As we speak, my son is trying to be accepted into the Master's Program to get his teaching credential. He is changing careers as soon as possible and this case just reenforces his sense of determination.

 

[katydid23]

Q. Can student resource officers legally put their hands on students?

A. Yes, officers can use force against students in certain circumstances, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Tuesday.

“Once she was placed under arrest and she has either passive or active resistance, then the officer has certain levels of force that he can use, and that's a force continuum that starts from just verbal commands,” Lott said. “And that's what these officers are trained to do. So ... legally could he put his hands on her and remove her from that classroom? Yes, he could do that. ... What's in question is how he accomplished that.”

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article41633739.html#storylink=cpy

 

[DexterMorgan]

This is where officer friendly messed up at. HE DIDN'T CLEAR THE ROOM ONCE HE KNEW THAT THE Sh#t was about to hit the fan.

Cops are not suppose to fire in open crowds. Just like in this situation. So this is why he got fired.

Once he moved the desk. He prepared for combat. But civilians were still present in the room.

And this is why he got fired. Because he never cleared out the civilians. Jmo

 

[bluesneakers]

This is where officer friendly messed up at. HE DIDN'T CLEAR THE ROOM ONCE HE KNEW THAT THE Sh#t was about to hit the fan.

Cops are not suppose to fire in open crowds. Just like in this situation. So this is why he got fired.

Once he moved the desk. He prepared for combat. But civilians were still present in the room.

And this is why he got fired. Because he never cleared out the civilians. Jmo

Ya know.... if I were a parent with a kid in that class I might register that very complaint. Nevermind what he did to the new girl no one knows, some of the kids in that classroom might have Very Important Parents. You might be on to something Dexter.

 

[KaaBoom]

Name one.

He did beat her. He did choke her. He did get fired for it. It’s not disputable.

 

[katydid23]

I think he was wrong to use so much force. But I don't believe he should have been fired and so quickly. I think he is a scapegoat for mistakes made by those at the school. They asked him to remove her from her desk. In fact, it was his boss at the school, the VP, who asked him to do so. And then when it was harder than he thought to get her out of the seat and it took more force, it looked so bad that he gets fired and blasted publicly as a monster. I feel bad for him because it was not his intent. JMO

 

[katydid23]

He did beat her. He did choke her. He did get fired for it. It’s not disputable.

He did not beat her, did not choke her.

 

[katydid23]

Here is the legal difference:

Q. Can student resource officers legally put their hands on students?

A. Yes, officers can use force against students in certain circumstances, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Tuesday.

“Once she was placed under arrest and she has either passive or active resistance, then the officer has certain levels of force that he can use, and that's a force continuum that starts from just verbal commands,” Lott said. “And that's what these officers are trained to do. So ... legally could he put his hands on her and remove her from that classroom? Yes, he could do that. ... What's in question is how he accomplished that.”


Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article41633739.html#storylink=cpy

Parents cannot arrest their children, thus they have no legal right to use force.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Ya know.... if I were a parent with a kid in that class I might register that very complaint. Nevermind what he did to the new girl no one knows, some of the kids in that classroom might have Very Important Parents. You might be on to something Dexter.

Lol. We all have our Perry Mason moments. I'm surprised i thought of that as well. Lol. But it does make sense.

The sheriff may have felt that since Fields didn't clear the civilians from the room before the foreseeable extraction. That Fields didn't follow protocol to eliminate any casualties.

The kid that got her desk hit was a victim as well. Plus others.

So not clearing the area before a foreseeable takedown is likely the main reason for him being fired. Jmo

 

[bluesneakers]

Lol. We all have our Perry Mason moments. I'm surprised i thought of that as well. Lol. But it does make sense.

The sheriff may have felt that since Fields didn't clear the civilians from the room before the foreseeable extraction. That Fields didn't follow protocol to eliminate any casualties.

The kid that got her desk hit was a victim as well. Plus others.

So not clearing the area before a foreseeable takedown is likely the main reason for him being fired. Jmo

Do you think this suggests he's done something similar before but been more careful about who was exposed? Like he was careful about clearing the room? Or is it mostly because the whole thing was caught on camera?

IMO there's no way he's a first time offender. He's was too sure of himself and his moves. You don't just happen to get lucky when it comes to something like that and it's clear (to me) he doesn't even size up the situation. He grabs and throws without hesitation.

I like your theory. I think you have a good point but I don't think that's the whole thing. I think his moves + the room not being cleared + the video are what earned him his pink slip.

JMO.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Do you think this suggests he's done something similar before but been more careful about who was exposed? Like he was careful about clearing the room? Or is it mostly because the whole thing was caught on camera?

IMO there's no way he's a first time offender. He's was too sure of himself and his moves. You don't just happen to get lucky when it comes to something like that and it's clear (to me) he doesn't even size up the situation. He grabs and throws without hesitation.

I like your theory. I think you have a good point but I don't think that's the whole thing. I think his moves + the room not being cleared + the video are what earned him his pink slip.

JMO.

Agree. He didn't politically understand how to handle certain things.

Which is; Never take down a person in a room full of kids. When you should have gotten the kids all out of the room before dealing with a situation that was going to be somewhat violent. J mo

 

[sonjay]

He did beat her. He did choke her. He did get fired for it. It’s not disputable.

He did not beat her. He did not choke her. I never said he didn't get fired for it. You are wrong on all counts. It's not disputable.

 

[popsicle]

The agency's training unit determined from the videos that Fields did not follow proper training and procedure, the sheriff said.

"When you make an arrest of someone who does not have a weapon, you never let go of the subject. When he threw her across the room, he let go of her. That's what violates our policy," Lott said.

"She wasn't a danger at that point; she was just being non-compliant and disrespectful. You try to de-escalate a situation. And when you do have to put your hands on someone, there are other techniques we use."

http://bigstory.ap.org/26ced3f750c84367bf3180d028c9e9e1

 

[Hope4More]

The agency's training unit determined from the videos that Fields did not follow proper training and procedure, the sheriff said.

"When you make an arrest of someone who does not have a weapon, you never let go of the subject. When he threw her across the room, he let go of her. That's what violates our policy," Lott said.

"She wasn't a danger at that point; she was just being non-compliant and disrespectful. You try to de-escalate a situation. And when you do have to put your hands on someone, there are other techniques we use."

http://bigstory.ap.org/26ced3f750c84367bf3180d028c9e9e1

Wait. Letting go of her was the violation?? So he would be following policy and remain in good standing if he had yanked her out of the chair, thrown her to the floor while still maintaining contact, and then literally dragged her out of the class room?

What is wrong with that picture? Yep. Cops shouldn't be called upon to resolve teacher- student disputes in classrooms, period.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Wait. Letting go of her was the violation?? So he would be following policy and remain in good standing if he had yanked her out of the chair, thrown her to the floor while still maintaining contact, and then literally dragged her out of the class room?

What is wrong with that picture? Yep. Cops shouldn't be called upon to resolve teacher- student disputes in classrooms, period.

I'm a little confused with that explanation myself.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

"When you make an arrest of someone who does not have a weapon, you never let go of the subject. When he threw her across the room, he let go of her. That's what violates our policy," Lott said.

This seems kind of backwards to me. I would think that you would not want to lose control of someone who does or could have a weapon.

If you know for a fact that their unarmed it wouldn't matter as much in my opinion.


http://bigstory.ap.org/26ced3f750c84367bf3180d028c9e9e1

 

[Montjoy]

Letting go may be necessary to protect oneself.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Letting go may be necessary to protect oneself.

That's a possibility. You may need space to use a non-lethal weapon like a Taser.

If the subject being arrested is armed with a deadly weapon like a knife it would be a good idea to give yourself some space, get compliance, then gain custody with handcuffs.

JMO

 

[al66pine]

"Originally Posted by al66pine Pls help me correctly interpret.
1. I think she really felt put upon and [she felt] that she was being wronged by the teacher.And maybe she was...we really don't know.
OR
2. I think she really felt put upon and [I think] she was being wronged by the teacher.And maybe she was...we really don't know.
1 or 2 or something else?
Thx in adv."

Is this a test? I pick number 1
I do think the teacher could have handled the situation better.

Thank you very much. W answer #1, I have no comment.

I'm not sure exactly what happened here, and IDK if anyone on W/S knows exactly either. As we - W/S or gen pop - review any event w benefit of 20/20 hindsight, we can think of ways all ppl involved could have handled situation better. Ditto w this. JM2cts.

Again, I appreciate your taking time to respond.


ETA: if teacher could have 'handled the situation better,' does not mean teacher 'wronged her.'

 

[Brightbird]

I think he was wrong to use so much force. But I don't believe he should have been fired and so quickly. I think he is a scapegoat for mistakes made by those at the school. They asked him to remove her from her desk. In fact, it was his boss at the school, the VP, who asked him to do so. And then when it was harder than he thought to get her out of the seat and it took more force, it looked so bad that he gets fired and blasted publicly as a monster. I feel bad for him because it was not his intent. JMO

So it's the old "I was under orders. I couldn't disobey or I would be punished"? I don't know how you can absolve the officer of responsibility. If he felt it was wrong, he shouldn't have done it. No excuses. No blaming it on the people around him.