Onondaga County Sheriff's Office Faces Backlash Over Handcuffing of 11-Year-Old Girl in Viral Video
A video showing an 11-year-old girl crying in handcuffs on a snowy Syracuse sidewalk has sparked widespread criticism, leading the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office to revise its policy on detaining minors.
The incident occurred Monday when deputies were searching for a girl reportedly seen in a stolen vehicle. Officers stopped the 11-year-old, who was wearing clothing similar to the suspect’s and was located about six blocks away. After detaining her in handcuffs for approximately seven minutes, deputies determined she was not the individual they were seeking and released her, according to a department statement.
Bystander footage captured the visibly distressed girl standing with her hands cuffed behind her back while two deputies detained her. In the video, friends of the girl can be heard pleading with officers, insisting they had the wrong person. The girl breaks down in tears as she is finally freed.
The incident has drawn strong reactions from civil rights advocates, including the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), which condemned the deputies’ actions.
“This mistreatment raises serious concerns about implicit racial bias, which too often leads law enforcement officers to perceive children of color as a threat,” said Victoria Coit, a senior organizer for the NYCLU, in a statement.
Sheriff Toby Shelley has since met with the girl’s mother to address her concerns. In response to the controversy, the department has implemented a new policy requiring officers to notify a parent or guardian whenever a minor is detained during an investigation. Previously, parents were only contacted if an arrest was made.
The sheriff’s office defended its initial handling of the situation, stating that handcuffing detainees—including juveniles—is a routine precaution to prevent them from fleeing, resisting officers, or destroying evidence. However, the department’s updated policy aims to improve transparency and communication with families in similar situations moving forward.