Officer fired after arresting elementary school students

ORLANDO, Fla. – A police officer who arrested two 6-year-old students at a Florida elementary school last week has been fired.

Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon announced Officer Dennis Turner’s termination Monday afternoon. He says he reminded other officers of department policy that prohibits arrests of children under 12 without a manager’s approval.

State Attorney Aramis Ayala, head prosecutor of Orange and Osceola counties, said earlier Monday she was dismissing misdemeanour battery charges against both children. Officials didn’t say what prompted the arrests.

The girl’s grandmother, Meralyn Kirkland, told WKMG News 6 in Orlando the girl wasn’t sleeping well because of a medical condition and kicked a staff member Thursday at Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy. She says a school resource officer handcuffed the girl and took her to a juvenile detention centre.