] Stun Gun used on person with autism

[Guest guest]

IOWA

TIFFANY DE MASTERS

An autistic Urbandale teenager remained in Polk County’s juvenile detention facility Thursday, nearly a week after he was arrested at a ston movie theater on theft, assaulting a police officer and other charges.

Jeri Pilmer, the mother of 15-year-old Pilmer, said she is at a loss for how to help her son. “He’s been on suicide watch. I requested that they send him to Lutheran (Hospital), but they wouldn’t,†she said. “They said it was the court officer’s decision.â€

Incident report: Read the police report

Authorities said Pilmer will remain at the juvenile detention center until an opening is available through an in-home monitoring program.

A reportedly stolen wallet was the catalyst for the May 4 incident that led to the teen’s arrest and left a ston police officer with a broken hand.

Pilmer had gone with friends to see “The Avengers†at the Wynnsong Theaters. He was accused of stealing a wallet from a 15-year-old Dallas Center boy, who found Pilmer with the wallet and took it back. The boy reportedly swore at Pilmer, and from there a fight ensued.

ston police were called by theater employees. Officer Cale McClain, the first to arrive, approached Pilmer, who theater managers reported was “outrageous and irate†and refused to leave the lobby.

Pilmer screamed obscenities at McClain, according to audio from a police vehicle’s dash-mounted recorder. On the recording, McClain is heard telling Pilmer if he didn’t calm down “it’s going to be bad.â€

Pilmer continued to ignore the officer’s instructions and said: “You don’t want to see me get mad.â€

At that point, McClain warned Pilmer: “I’m going to Tase you.â€

He reportedly withdrew the stun gun, but Pilmer knocked it from the officer’s hand and a struggle followed.

ston Officer Christensen arrived to assist. According to a cellphone video taken by a bystander, both officers held the boy to the ground and told him to calm down, stay down and relax. A Polk County sheriff’s deputy also arrived to help.

The bystander’s cellphone video, shown by police to a reporter, showed Pilmer calm enough for the officers and deputy to walk him out of the theater. As they began to walk out, another deputy walked in, and the boy began to lash out again.

Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Osberg used the stun gun to subdue Pilmer.

Jeri Pilmer said she received a call from her son’s friend during the struggle. She instructed the teen to tell police Pilmer was autistic.

“I requested to speak with an officer on scene, and no one would speak to me,†she said.

ston Police Lt. Lynn Aswegan said a teenage boy did tell officers Pilmer was autistic.

“Just because an unknown teenager tells you the boy’s autistic doesn’t mean they’re going to stop what they’re doing,†Aswegan said of officers’ attempts to control the youth, who reportedly is 5-foot-8 and weighs around 200 pounds.

Jeri Pilmer said she, her daughter and her ex-husband, Pilmer, arrived at the theater to find Pilmer sitting outside in handcuffs.

“We ran right to . We (parents) were on either side of him, his sister was standing in front of him — emotions were running high,†she said. “He just kept saying, ‘Mommy, they Tased me. Mommy, they Tased me.’ â€

Pilmer screamed he wanted the cuffs removed, Jeri Pilmer said.

According to the police report, Pilmer was arrested after he made threats toward police about using a Taser on them.

Jeri Pilmer said she held her son as he rocked back and forth. She left briefly to call a remedial worker who has experience with her son’s condition; when she returned, police already had transported her son to county youth detention.

Since the incident, Jeri Pilmer has requested to see the video, dash camera audio and police report. She said her requests have been denied.

“ston PD said unless we had a court order or attorney, we could not view the video,†she said.

Aswegan said the department doesn’t have a specific policy or procedure in place on how to handle incidents involving people with mental or behavioral disabilities. The department does have regular training and works with the mobile crisis team on how to use its services. In 2010, patrol supervisors received training from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy regarding police response to mental illness situations.

Aswegan said via email Thursday that in 2008, the department developed the CARE program, which allows citizens who provide care to a person with disabilities to register that person with the department so that if officers should have cause to interact with that person, they have immediate access to that person’s mental and medical background and emergency contact numbers.

Pilmer lives in Urbandale; although police there had been contacted in the past to handle situations in which he was involved, ston police had no previous contact with the teen.

Pilmer was charged with assault with intent of injury on a peace officer, disorderly conduct, fifth-degree theft, assault and interference with official acts.

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately when it comes to a situation like this police feel that the most

important thing is the safty of the people. They do not have special training in

dealing with autistkc people and do not realize that some things that they say

and do will only esculate the situation. He should have been taken to a hospital

not a prison cell. My son has had agressive behavoir in the past and will be

entering his tsen years. I dont tbink it is going to be wise to let him go out

without a responsible adult close by to make sure something like this doesnt

happen. However I realize that teens even speal needs teens need their space.

--- Original Message ---

Sent: June 14, 2012 1:16 PM

To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

Subject: ] Stun Gun used on person with autism

 

 

 

 

 

 

IOWA

 

TIFFANY DE MASTERS

 

An autistic Urbandale teenager remained in Polk County’s juvenile detention

facility Thursday, nearly a week after he was arrested at a ston movie

theater on theft, assaulting a police officer and other charges.

Jeri Pilmer, the mother of 15-year-old Pilmer, said she is at a loss for

how to help her son. “He’s been on suicide watch. I requested that they send

him to Lutheran (Hospital), but they wouldn’t,†she said. “They said it

was the court officer’s decision.â€

Incident report: Read the police report

Authorities said Pilmer will remain at the juvenile detention center until

an opening is available through an in-home monitoring program.

A reportedly stolen wallet was the catalyst for the May 4 incident that led to

the teen’s arrest and left a ston police officer with a broken hand.

Pilmer had gone with friends to see “The Avengers†at the Wynnsong Theaters.

He was accused of stealing a wallet from a 15-year-old Dallas Center boy, who

found Pilmer with the wallet and took it back. The boy reportedly swore at

Pilmer, and from there a fight ensued.

ston police were called by theater employees. Officer Cale McClain, the

first to arrive, approached Pilmer, who theater managers reported was

“outrageous and irate†and refused to leave the lobby.

Pilmer screamed obscenities at McClain, according to audio from a police

vehicle’s dash-mounted recorder. On the recording, McClain is heard telling

Pilmer if he didn’t calm down “it’s going to be bad.â€

Pilmer continued to ignore the officer’s instructions and said: “You don’t

want to see me get mad.â€

At that point, McClain warned Pilmer: “I’m going to Tase you.â€

He reportedly withdrew the stun gun, but Pilmer knocked it from the officer’s

hand and a struggle followed.

ston Officer Christensen arrived to assist. According to a cellphone

video taken by a bystander, both officers held the boy to the ground and told

him to calm down, stay down and relax. A Polk County sheriff’s deputy also

arrived to help.

The bystander’s cellphone video, shown by police to a reporter, showed Pilmer

calm enough for the officers and deputy to walk him out of the theater. As they

began to walk out, another deputy walked in, and the boy began to lash out

again.

Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Osberg used the stun gun to subdue Pilmer.

Jeri Pilmer said she received a call from her son’s friend during the

struggle. She instructed the teen to tell police Pilmer was autistic.

“I requested to speak with an officer on scene, and no one would speak to

me,†she said.

ston Police Lt. Lynn Aswegan said a teenage boy did tell officers Pilmer was

autistic.

“Just because an unknown teenager tells you the boy’s autistic doesn’t

mean they’re going to stop what they’re doing,†Aswegan said of

officers’ attempts to control the youth, who reportedly is 5-foot-8 and weighs

around 200 pounds.

Jeri Pilmer said she, her daughter and her ex-husband, Pilmer, arrived at

the theater to find Pilmer sitting outside in handcuffs.

“We ran right to . We (parents) were on either side of him, his sister was

standing in front of him — emotions were running high,†she said. “He just

kept saying, ‘Mommy, they Tased me. Mommy, they Tased me.’ â€

Pilmer screamed he wanted the cuffs removed, Jeri Pilmer said.

According to the police report, Pilmer was arrested after he made threats

toward police about using a Taser on them.

Jeri Pilmer said she held her son as he rocked back and forth. She left briefly

to call a remedial worker who has experience with her son’s condition; when

she returned, police already had transported her son to county youth detention.

Since the incident, Jeri Pilmer has requested to see the video, dash camera

audio and police report. She said her requests have been denied.

“ston PD said unless we had a court order or attorney, we could not view

the video,†she said.

Aswegan said the department doesn’t have a specific policy or procedure in

place on how to handle incidents involving people with mental or behavioral

disabilities. The department does have regular training and works with the

mobile crisis team on how to use its services. In 2010, patrol supervisors

received training from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy regarding police

response to mental illness situations.

Aswegan said via email Thursday that in 2008, the department developed the CARE

program, which allows citizens who provide care to a person with disabilities to

register that person with the department so that if officers should have cause

to interact with that person, they have immediate access to that person’s

mental and medical background and emergency contact numbers.

Pilmer lives in Urbandale; although police there had been contacted in the

past to handle situations in which he was involved, ston police had no

previous contact with the teen.

Pilmer was charged with assault with intent