Home school group says police used excessive force

[QuilterMom]

http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=2971695

Some home schoolers say they were having a meeting in Simpsonville Park when an officer started bullying them.



The group of home schoolers included 6 mothers and about 15 to 20 kids, every Wednesday for the past 5 years the group has come to Simpsonville Park to socialize and meet with each other, but they say this past Wednesday was like no other.



One of the mothers in the group, Jan Blanchard says, "We were just sitting there talking..."



"I heard a man yelling take your hands out of your pocket and I turned around and he was yelling at one of the boys in the group,” says another mother Priscilla Adams.



Priscilla’s 14 year old son, Glenn says, "He started yelling and screaming at this boy for having a knife, then pushed him down."



Priscilla says he then "went for another boy a 16 year old, yelled at him something about having a knife, he pushed him to the ground."



Simpsonville Police say a call came in that someone in the park had a knife. They say they responded as they would to any call like that, but the officer responding to the call was dressed in plain clothes and did not identify himself at first.



Priscilla says, "I was frightened, I really didn't know who he was."



That’s when Priscilla says one of the other mothers tried to stop him, by getting between the officer and the student.



"She was trying to protect a student, we didn't know what was happening, he could've been a murderer, a rapist or anything, we just, he was attacking one of our kids and we were trying to stop him," says Jan.



"She turned to Jan and said call the police and that's when he told us he was the police. It didn't even occur to me he was a policeman, he acted so insane," says Priscilla.



Police Chief Reese says officers do not have to identify themselves immediately and that the officer was wearing a badge and a gun.



But Jan says, "A crazy man come running up screaming, you're not looking at his belt to see if he's an officer."



The parents say the student did have a small hunting knife in a sheath on his belt, but never once had it out. The incident will keep this group from the park for good.



"The police station is right beside it, he could just come down at any time and do anything he wanted to," says Glenn.



The mother who tried to stop the officer was arrested and charged with assault on an officer, the 16 year old boy was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Simpsonville Police say they will not comment any further because the case is under investigation.

[KatieInLa2]

Thats scary!

[Mamawolf]

I don't think this story has enough information in it. How big the hunting knife was, who put in the call, why he was wearing a hunting knife in the first place, and at a park! I know that here in Kentucky carrying a knife longer than 6" is illegal and you can be arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. It's a shame that the group was prohibited from coming back. I really hope that they found a new place just as good to meet.

[Mamawolf]

Oh, yeah, and I find it in incredibly bad taste that the officer did not identify himself. I can't even imagine how terrified the moms were to see some crazy looking person charge their kids like that!!

[guest2]

OMGoodness! This is too scary! I don't blame the mom for trying to protect that kid no knowing who the crazy man was! As for the kid having a knife in a sheath, well 2 of mine and my husband always carry a knife with them either in a sheath attached to their belt or clipped to their pocket and I always have one on my keychain (except when I fly). That officer should have identified himself before ordering the kid down. I hope the police department is charged with harrassment!