Pepper Spraying Prompts Review of Police Response Policies
SAN MATEO, Calif. — County school officials are working with the San Mateo Police Department to determine how officers should respond if summoned to a school. The planning is in response to an incident in which an officer pepper sprayed a then 7-year-old special-needs student who was out of control at George Hall School.
Earlier this month, the city settled with the boy’s family for $55,000, The Daily Journal reports. The boy was in a class run by the county at the time of the incident, which took place in June 2010. It was two county employees that opted to call police when the boy began acting out.
Currently, the police department does not have a specific policy on whether a child should be subject to the use of pepper spray.
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