CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati police have identified the officer who used a Taser to stun an 11-year-old girl suspected of stealing from a Kroger on Monday.
Officer Kevin Brown, 55, fired his Taser at the girl after she had placed items from the Spring Grove Village store in her backpack and tried to leave the store, police said.
Officials said the girl refused to stop at Brown's commands.
Police Chief Eliot Isaac has opened an investigation, Acting City Manager Patrick Duhaney told City Council members.
"There needs to be a complete investigation," said Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman, chairman of council's Law and Public Safety Committee. "It's hard to understand why an 11-year-old would be tased. I expect answers in 24 hours."
Brown was working an off-duty security detail and investigating several young girls accused of stealing from the store, police said. Brown approached the 11-year-old but she ignored the officer and continued to walk away, according to police. The officer struck the girl in the back with the Taser.
The girl was arrested on charges of theft and obstructing official business. She was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for evaluation and released to a parent's custody.
“We are extremely concerned when force is used by one of our officers on a child of this age," Isaac said. "As a result, we will be taking a very thorough review of our policies as it relates to using force on juveniles as well as the propriety of the officer's actions.”
Brown has been placed on restricted duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
Police officials said Brown was wearing a body camera but did not activate the camera until after the Taser was used. The department's policy of body cameras states officers are required to activate the devices during all law enforcement-related encounters, but also says under extenuating circumstances, using the cameras may not be possible.
The police department's policy says Tasers are "for self-defense or to temporarily immobilize a subject who is actively resisting arrest."
Tasers generate electricity in a small, hand-held, battery operated unit about the size of a handgun. When properly used, a Taser generates an electrical current that dominates a person's neuromuscular and sensory nervous system. People become physically incapacitated and unable to control muscle movement, allowing officers to gain control
The department's policy adds, "Officers should avoid using the Taser on obviously pregnant females and those individuals under the age of 7 or over the age of 70 due to the potential for these individuals to fall when incapacitated by a Taser, unless the encounter rises to the level of a deadly force situation."
The girl will appear in Hamilton County Juvenile Court. A court date is not immediately available.
This is the second incident this year involved a juvenile and a Taser. In April, a black youth was fleeing police in Clifton Heights when an officer fired one of the weapons at him. In that case, officials said the boy was only hit by one prong and not shocked.
Cincinnati police use of force policy by CincinnatiEnquirer on Scribd
