Need advice re CMPD and Walmart vs my kid (crime, felons)
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I said that his Dad wanted to take it further. Yeah, they shouldn't have been out, I SAID that. I didn't ask for a bunch of nasty comments, I said where my son went wrong and I accepted responsibility for that, but the entire situation was blown way of proportion by all of the ADULTS involved when there were 3 teenagers looking at MOVIES minding their own business, by the admission of the manager they weren't even rowdy. So...to frisk them right there, in Electronics, shove them in the back like felons even when they didn't have a thing on them but brownies seems like excess to me!!! I don't know about y'all but if it were your kid you might think different.
Yeah, life sucks then ya die, but at 15 breaking curfew when he didn't even know t here was a curfew was WRONG, but as for the rest of it it was BS. I wasn't planning on doing anything else, I had moved on, it was the ex hubby...but by God, this forum has pretty much changed my mind.
Cop a freaking FEEL!? Grow up.............
They learned a lesson. Don't break curfew, and decent kids who have done not committed a freaking felony and they had no reason to believe THESE kids did a thing do not deserved to be, yes, terrorized!
Screw it.
You shouldn't ask people for advice if you aren't going to be willing to hear something other than what you wanted people to say. Getting harassed because you are a teenager is just a rite of passage. You also have to assume that your child whom is telling you the story of what happened is likely telling you what he wants you to hear, and possibly omitting things that are going to paint him in a negative light. You said that you spoke with the manager, and they admitted it was a mistake, you just need to let it go and both of you move on
What the heck is a curfew law?
And from BrooklynQB's post it seems like the kids didn't break this law. So apparently someone spread some misinformation around trying to possibly put some blame on the kids?
I'd be upset to and even more upset if someone told me I was breaking a law when I wasn't according to their own codes!
Then on top of that people on this forum are telling the OP that her son broke a law as well not knowing the law themselves or the details...
I agree with some other posts about talking to the manager. Of course calmly to find out what happened. And maybe just stating how upset your son was that he was almost crying because of this mistake.
Maybe you can get a free gift card, that would be kinda kool!
I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill.
The only ones to blame in this is your son, his friends and the manager. What were they doing to direct attention to themselves in the store?
The cops did what they were suppose to do. Someone pointed them out as stealing and they conducted an investigation. If that someone was wrong, then the blame is on them, not the cops. As for there being four cops on scene. Whats the big deal? They don't get called to a scene "scrawny kids are stealing at Walmart, send four officers". One or two probably got the call and the other two were close by and offered to backup. Weather there was one or ten, it does not matter, that is a none issue.
What the issues are, why was your son out after curfew and why did the manager let it get as far as it did because of heresy evidence from a customer.
You shouldn't ask people for advice if you aren't going to be willing to hear something other than what you wanted people to say. Getting harassed because you are a teenager is just a rite of passage. You also have to assume that your child whom is telling you the story of what happened is likely telling you what he wants you to hear, and possibly omitting things that are going to paint him in a negative light. You said that you spoke with the manager, and they admitted it was a mistake, you just need to let it go and both of you move on
I, too, would be very angry if the police manhandled my child when they were erroneously identified and were (according to the manager) NOT calling attention to themselves or doing anything wrong. While the police may have been acting on poor information and had the right to question them and frisk them, when it was obvious they were not concealing merchandise, they should've apologized.
The police should not be aggressive in these cases any way - even if they were stealing. That seems very provocative and not good police work. Why did they tell them they were banned from the store if they weren't doing anything wrong. I would file a complaint with CMPD and speak with the manager and maybe even corporate headquarters at Walmart.
Your response indicates there's more than this situation going on for you. NONE of the comments was "nasty" - when you've calmed down and re-read them, you'll see that.
Folks are making the point that a mistake was made, what happened, happened, but everyone involved was just doing their job. Yes, it's upsetting for your son, but I'm sure he's capable of processing his feelings and accepting that sometimes people make mistakes - even police officers.
Re-read topchief1's post, and Hoagie58's - both calm, rational responses.
I used to do Loss prevention for a retailer, not Wal-Mart, but they all run about the same way. In most retailers that employ loss prevention or asset protection, managers and store employees are NOT allowed to approach suspected shoplifters per company policy. That is because store employees and management are NOT trained to spot all elements of proof necessary to detain a suspected shoplifter. The suspect must have been 1) observed entering the department. In this case, the section of DVDs. That's so that it can be noted what the subject was already carrying/wearing when they entered. 2) They have to be observed selecting the merchandise. 3) They have to be observed concealing the merchandise. 4) they have to be observed leaving the department 5) they have to be observed passing the point of sale (cash registers). In stores like Walmart where there are registers all over the store, a subject can be stopped on the sales floor for unlawful concealment when they are observed concealing the merchandise. If all of these elements are not met, and a person is detained and found NOT to have any merchandise, it is considered a non productive detainment and opens the company up for lawsuits. The OP COULD choose to pursue it, especially with the manager admitting that they goofed. In the company that I worked for, people were FIRED for erroneously detaining folks. Especially if there was a stink raised about it. Most times the company would try to avoid a lawsuit and appease the customer by offering them a store gift card/ merchandise credit anywhere from $200- $1000, depending on the severity (embarrassment) of the stop.
I have to tell you, even after I stopped doing LP work, and when I was shopping and spotted people stealing in stores, I never called the police myself. Personally, I've never had anyone take it upon themself to call the police. I always find a store employee or manager and let them know that I've observed someone removing tags and concealing. Since the employee or manager didn't personally observe the concealment, the best they can do is "customer service" the subject to death by continuosly asking "Do you need help... would you like a cart for your items..are you ready to check out," etc. but they are not supposed to ever accuse anyone of stealing.
There ya go. You (opps I mean yr ex) can file the lawsuit on Monday. You will teach your kid the ever important lesson that its ok for you to make mistakes, but its absolutely intolerable for any one around you to make them.
I find all the cop bashing a little ridiculous using words like manhandled, terrorized, etc. esp on a week when a cop killer who was only 22 when he ambushed and gunned down 2 officers is standing trial. Then again he wasn't "clean cut".
I think the situation stinks. If this happened to my 15 year old I'd feel terrible about it too. The fact is: don't break curfew. You (the 15 year old) open yourself up to other possibilities of crimes. I would like to see the Walmart manager explain the error to the police in some way (and maybe he already did), but don't expect an apology from the police. I have never heard of that happening .
I, too, would be very angry if the police manhandled my child when they were erroneously identified and were (according to the manager) NOT calling attention to themselves or doing anything wrong. While the police may have been acting on poor information and had the right to question them and frisk them, when it was obvious they were not concealing merchandise, they should've apologized.
The police should not be aggressive in these cases any way - even if they were stealing. That seems very provocative and not good police work. Why did they tell them they were banned from the store if they weren't doing anything wrong. I would file a complaint with CMPD and speak with the manager and maybe even corporate headquarters at Walmart.
This is EXACTLY how stories change as they go from one person to the next. Unbelievable. I would like you to point out EXACTLY where the Police got "aggressive"? I have read OP's post three times, I do not see any aggressive behavior from anyone.
And yes, that's a great idea, go complain to CMPD for showing up and doing what we pay them to do. For crying out load. STOP the DRAMA and get over it.
OP's beef is wholly with her son, the driver of the car and the store manager. Also the person who told the manager the kids were stealing, but I'm sure that person is long gone.
There ya go. You (opps I mean yr ex) can file the lawsuit on Monday. You will teach your kid the ever important lesson that its ok for you to make mistakes, but its absolutely intolerable for any one around you to make them.
I find all the cop bashing a little ridiculous using words like manhandled, terrorized, etc. esp on a week when a cop killer who was only 22 when he ambushed and gunned down 2 officers is standing trial. Then again he wasn't "clean cut".
Incredible, isn't it? I don't think anyone should be "manhandled" and "terrorized", and no one was in this incident. On the same page, I do not want lackadaisical cops either. That gets them and the public hurt or killed real quick.
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. For crying out load. STOP the DRAMA and get over it.
