Abinanti Calls Kentucky Police Action "Officially Sanctioned Child Abuse"

Following the release of video purportedly showing a Kentucky school resource officer handcuffing and mistreating an 8-year-old student with disabilities, Assemblyman Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) is urging the State of New York to take action to prevent a similar incident from happening in New York.

“This is appalling – it is officially sanctioned child abuse,” said Abinanti, an outspoken advocate for protecting people with special needs. “This was false imprisonment based on a child’s involuntary actions caused by the child’s disability. It never should have happened.”

The video, originally recorded in the fall of 2014, raises serious issues concerning law enforcement’s ability to identify an individual with disabilities and implement appropriate strategies to de-escalate the situation.

“We need police officers who are well trained in assessing the real nature of the situation, in recognizing signs of developmental disabilities or mental illness and in employing de-escalation techniques,” said the Westchester Assemblyman.

In response to the video, Abinanti sent a letter to State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico and State Division of Criminal Justice Services Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green requesting they conduct a review of their respective procedures and protocols regarding law enforcement interactions with people with disabilities.

“Unfortunately, situations like this are not uncommon in New York and throughout the country – and are often unreported,” said Abinanti, in the letters. “We need to ensure what happened in Kentucky is not the norm New York.”