Waterbury Public Schools called police 200 times on students in a six-month period. That’s according to a report released this week by Sarah Eagan, the Connecticut State Child Advocate.
Eagan investigated Waterbury after complaints about how often police were asked to intervene at elementary schools. She found a disproportionate number of children who interacted with police were students of color or autistic.
“Thirty-six of the children were [arrested] including about nine children under the age of 12. And it is typical for children who are arrested and processed — included young children — to be handcuffed,” Eagan said.
She said the report is not an indictment of law enforcement. She said it points to the lack of mental health and counseling resources at Waterbury schools that led administrators to ask police for help.
Waterbury Public Schools did not return requests for comment.