Senatobia police officer no longer with department after controversial arrest of 10-year-old

Listen to this article

A police officer from Senatobia, Mississippi, who was involved in the arrest and detention of a 10-year-old boy for public urination, is no longer with the department, according to a report by the Associated Press.

This was announced by the city’s Police Chief, Richard Chandler, on Facebook. However, he didn’t specify whether the officer’s departure was due to resignation or dismissal. It was also mentioned that other officers connected to this incident will be facing disciplinary actions.

On Aug. 10, the boy’s mother shared that her son had urinated behind their vehicle during a visit to a lawyer’s office. Officers responding to the incident decided to put the child in a squad car and took him to the police station.

Despite not being handcuffed or formally charged, a citation for a “child in need of services” was issued to the boy. As of now, it is unclear if this citation stands or has been revoked.

In the wake of this incident, Chief Chandler commented on the matter, “We appreciate the public’s patience while we investigated this incident. We deeply value your trust and support, and we are dedicated to continually improving and learning from our mistakes.”