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| Clyde, NY Police officer Ross Younglove |
Like I always tell people, think twice before calling police.
Dorine Lockhart found out why this is so true.
On Tuesday August 3, 2013, Lockhart's mother, Sharon Lockhart called 911 after her two grandsons got into an argument.
Lockhart says she specifically told the 911 operator that she only wanted police to remove
her 21-year old son, Sam Kemp, who is
learning disabled, and hearing impaired,
from the property, not arrested.
Well, Clyde, NY Police officer Ross Younglove, and his fellow officer did alot more than that.
But it's not just what they did.
It's the way they did it.
Here's the story according to Sam's mother.
One of the first to arrive at Lockhart's West Genesee St. home, was Clyde Police officer Ross Younglove.
Officer Younglove noticed that Tahj, Dorine's minor son, who was downstairs, had a small scratch on his neck.
A second officer went upstairs to where Dorine Lockhart, her grandfather, and her son Sam were.
"The officer was asking Sam basic questions, when my grandfather began yelling for me to come down", said Lockart.
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| Dorine Lockhart, with her son Sam Kemp |
"The officer downstairs had given Tahj a pen and paper, and wanted him to write a statement", Lockhart said, adding "The officer also had a camera in his hand. I told the officer that I didn't want to give any statements, and I inquired why did he have the camera.", said Lockhart.
"The officer stated to photograph any injuries. I told the officers that I only wanted Sam to be asked to leave, that he was more than welcome to return tomorrow but for right now I just wanted him to go. After repeating this several times I let him know that if he couldn't, or wouldn't respect what I was simply asking, then they could leave."
"The officer told me he could arrest me for making a false report. Sam, my mother, and the officer all came downstairs and left the house. After about ten minutes or so I went outside to see what was going on because they had Sam in the police car."
"The officer told me that he was attempting to do an investigation but he doesn't know how he's going to that because I won't allow my son Tahj, who is a minor, to give a statement. I told the officer again, that was not the reason they were called. I told the officer that he was being real extra, and it was not necessary nor appreciated", Dorine Lockhart said.
"I let him know that by acting as such he just put a sour taste in people's mouth when it comes to simple assistance because they always go overboard and when you do that, people are hesitant to call the police, and God forbid that's when something bad happens."
"The officer was going on about he has a job to do, and I went back inside the house. The next morning I awoke and went to work, I called home and Sam hadn't been home. I checked around no one had seen him. Eventually I called the Wayne County Jail and inquired if he was brought there. The receptionist informed me that Sam was brought in at 7:00 a.m., and she also informed me of the charge. I immediately went to the Clyde Police station and asked questions to which I have received zero answers", added Lockhart.
"I went up to see Sam for a fifteen minute visit, and Sam told me that he didn't know how long he was at Clyde Police Department, or what time it was when they took him to jail."
"Sam told me he repeatedly asked for them to call his mom, but they refused to do so, instead telling him 'Your mom wants you in jail.' Sam told me he was scared and begged me to get him out of there because he didn't want to be there. I then proceeded to bail my son out of jail."
First of all, I see several disturbing things with this incident.
Among them is the fact that despite Dorine Lockhart repeatedly telling Clyde Police officers that she DID NOT want her son arrested, and simply needed their assistance to escort him out, they did the opposite.
Lockhart even told the officers that Sam was welcome to return home after a cool down period.
This is something which law enforcement officers typically do.
They will go to a call for a domestic incident, and many times, police officers will tell an individual to leave for a while, and cool down.
In fact, sometimes officers will even stay at the location while the person gathers their belongings, such as jacket, etc., then they will escort the person out in an effort to de-escalate the original situation.
In this case I have very little doubt that these Clyde officers, as many officers are, were being over zealous or better said, "doing too much". and as a result, wanted to make an arrest.
Not because they had to.
Because they wanted to.
One of the most disturbing things here is the fact that these Clyde, NY police officers clearly did not take into account, or care, who they were dealing with.
A learning disabled, hearing impaired young man, who as his mother told me, communicates using sign language.
Dorine Lockhart says despite it being obvious that her son is hearing impaired, Clyde, NY Police officer Ross Younglove and the second officer did not make any attempts to either communicate with Sam using sign language, or call for an officer who knew signing,
Also, Dorine Lockhart brings up a very interesting question.
She says her son was arrested Tuesday night around 8:00 pm, and charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
However, Lockhart was told by jail officials that her son was not booked until 7:00 am Wednesday morning.
Lockhart wants to know where her son was and why wasn't he booked for almost 12 hours?
Despite calling Clyde Police several times, she is yet to receive an answer.
But perhaps one of the most disturbing things is that not only did Clyde Police refuse to give this young man the opportunity to make a phone call, a right afforded to anyone who is incarcerated, but even more disturbing is that knowing that they were dealing with a person who is not only learning disabled, but also hearing impaired, these officers lied, and scared this young man, telling him that his own mother wanted him in jail, as he begged them to please call his mother.
Can you imagine how scared this young man must have felt, begging for his mother?
And being ignored and not allowed to call her?
Then lying to him?
After several attempts to reach Clyde, NY Police Graham, I finally spoke with "Laurie", a receptionist who said the Chief was not in.
When I asked her when did she expect him, Laurie replied, "Hopefully tomorrow, I don't know, I mean we're transitioning, and he works other places, then he works here, so I'm not quite sure a date and time but I think tomorrow."
UPDATE:
Still no response from the Clyde, NY Police department.
Clyde, NY Police Chief Graham (315) 923-3121
Clyde, NY Mayor Jerry Fremouw (315) 923-3971 Ext. 217
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