© Regis Duvignau / Reuters
"We are extremely concerned when force is used by one of our officers on a child of this age," Isaac said in a news release.
The officer had been called to investigate reports of several young girls stealing items from the Kennard Avenue Kroger when he spotted the 11-year-old walking away with a backpack full of items, according to the release and Lt. Steve Saunders. She refused to stop after being verbally warned, and the officer stunned her with the Taser.
Medics at the scene checked on the girl, as did staff at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Saunders said. She appeared healthy. Police charged her with theft and obstruction before releasing her to her parents.
Saunders said that a Taser can be used on anyone between the ages of 7 to 70, according to Cincinnati Police Department procedure.
CPD procedures on use of force state, "The TASER may be deployed on a suspect actively resisting arrest when there is probable cause to arrest the suspect, or to defend one's self or another from active aggression."
The procedure also notes that officers should consider the severity of the crime, the level of suspicion with respect to the fleeing suspect, the risk of danger to others and the potential risk of secondary injury to the suspect due to their surroundings before using a Taser.
"An individual simply fleeing from an officer, absent additional justification, does not warrant the use of the TASER," CPD procedure states.
A Kroger spokesperson said they "are cooperating with the police who are investigating the matter."
Comment: It seems to get a job in the police these days you need to be a coward and a sadist: