I am ok with this because you never know what a person is capable of. I have seen children throw fits when their parents try to control them. Imagine how they will react if a non parent does something. Plus suppose they did not put them in handcuffs and then the child did something while in police custody. Then we would be asking why they were not in handcuffs. Situations like these are no-wins for the police. As long as they did the same thing for everyone I have no problem with this.

Maybe the parents should save their outrage at the police and take a look in the mirror and keep their 7 and 8 year old kids at home rather than out stealing stuff! I doubt the kids learn any kind of scared straight lesson out of this, but for the police to do nothing is to allow the problems that Baltimore City has to continue. Kudos to the police for taking action and doing something about it and not just letting these kids go. If the parents aren't going to parent, someone should.

While it might not always be appropriate I think in the context of this incident it might have been useful to cuff these delinquent children to help teach them a lesson.

I also agree with Jeff, perhaps the parents should save some of their outrage with the police and redirect it. But not at themselves as much as their children who committed CRIMES!!!!!

Handcuffs are not only used for officer safety,they are also for control,so the kids don't run away while you are investigating the incident. So would we still be having this conversation if lets say the children were not handcuffed by the officers and one decided to run an was injured or struck by a car,remember once you detain someone your responsible for there safety,so then you can post child injuried due to negligent officer!

If the kids weren't stealing they wouldn't have to be put in handcuffs simple as that. Maybe their parents should of been watching them? They are only 7 and 8

If I had been caught stealing when I was that age, my mom would have insisted the cops put me in handcuffs. I would also have begged to stay at the police station knowing what faced me when I got home.

I Actually live in the inner city where the new age of Police are Uneducated,Undertrained,while given Tasks that only help Juke the Stats.This is the least of our Problems,What happens when all police are being forced to make a Certain number of arrest,They will in turn Create False Stories to cover their actions and the public(Mainly Inner City Youth) being the ones Who receive the far fetched Charges.

I wish some of you readers could really experience the way the BALTIMORE POLICE are using the wrong Style of Justice on are streets DAILY.

ask yourself what would happen if all crime stopped right now and all police were done with their jobs and didnt have any more work,WHAT WOULD THEY DO?
Make more Crime?

Lets see, stealing a motorcycle or contributing to the theft. CRIME! Trespassing. CRIME! Operating a motorized vehicle on a public road as an underaged child. CRIME! And the parents aren't ashamed of these kids, and attack the police?! And the mayor apologizes for the cops? This has to make you laugh, living in a city where kids can committ so many crimes, and the only this that happens is they put in handcuffs and let go without charges....and there is outrage? Outrage by who? Not me.

Speilberg has got the right screen name because he's living in a movie and not the real world.
I live adjacent to Medfield and not far off Falls Road. The Police did not go to far with this action. With a little luck the children learned a lesson and no one go hurt.

But let's face the facts. Living in Baltimore is near shear hell unless you're one of those young professionals like in the story The Sun itself ran a few weeks back and view these things as a challenge or you're like that young professional when he's a little older with a family. Suddenly prostitution, drug users/dealing, and drunks aren't a "challenge"; they're a place you don't want to be aroud.
Which is what helps make Baltimore a great place to be from.

The parents and whoever else (eh hem: Ed "the theif Norris")complains the kids being handcuffed is excessive is out of their mind. First to comment a 7, 8, and 11 year old should have been properly supervised. Defending them when they are CLEARLY WRONG is why a lot of these children today feel they have all these "rights" and they can do as they please. I'm old school, a child should stay in a childs place. Perhaps the parents ought to be suied by the pepople their unruly children stole from.

Good it is about time that WE nip it in the but before they are older and commit more severe crimes, just because they are jueveniles they need to know that the next time you will stay there (jail) there is no respect for the Police or other peoples things.

Guess what, maybe your kids won't do another crime again, or join a gang, because now they know what could happen to them, and guess what again, they could get hurt anywhere by bigger kids, seems like they have no regard as it is and the younger hanging out with the older kids will be influenced by their actions-duh.
Parents wake up and teach your kids! In the interview on Fox news, the kids wasn't even paying attention half the time-think of the big picture parents this could have saved your child and taught him a lesson you obviously can not!!

Handcuffing a child should be a standard procedure when they have broken the law. Children have the ability to kill without thinking out the process. http://vasheriffsinstitute.org/the-sheriffs/deputies-killed-in-the-line-of-duty/
Handcuffs are not for abuse, rather they are for the safety of both the detained and the officer. Even if someone is not being charged, it is best to protect yourself and the detained by handcuffs.