ORLANDO, FL — A Florida police officer has been fired after arresting two 6-year-olds.
During a press conference Monday, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon called the actions of School Resource Officer Dennis Turner “shocking.”
“I was sick to my stomach when I heard this,” said Rolon. “We were appalled. We could not fathom the idea of a 6-year-old being put in the back of a police car.”
Rolon declined to discuss the specifics that led to Turner arresting the two children at their school Sept. 19.
The children were placed in the back of a police cruiser and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Orlando where they were fingerprinted and had their mugshots taken.
Both children were released into the custody of family members, and the Florida State Attorney’s Office has declined to pursue charges against them.
Rolon said he initially suspended Turner. Then, after reviewing the facts of the case, he said he had no “other remedy” but to fire Turner.
“As the chief of police, one of my top priorities is to earn and protect the trust between the community and its officers. Because of this incident, that trust has been put in question,” Rolon said “On behalf of myself and the entire Orlando Police Department, I apologize to the children involved and their families.”
He added that police department policy prohibits the arrest of a child under the age of 12 without the approval of a manager. He said he’s reiterated that policy to all of his officers.
“I have taken steps to ensure that this does not occur in the future,” Rolon said. “As the grandfather of three children less than 11 years old, I can only imagine how traumatic this was for everyone involved.”
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