A girl from Connecticut was arrested for Disorderly Conduct – C.R.S. 18-9-106, following claims that she was a bully. According to news reports, a fellow student of the girl reported to her parents that she was being taunted, harassed and generally bullied by her classmate. Following a second complaint, the police decided that the best way to stop the bullying was to arrest the 12-year-old.
What is Disorderly Conduct in Larimer, Broomfield and Denver County?
Disorderly conduct is charged when a person knowingly:
- Makes an offense utterance, display or gesture in a public place and the action tends to incite an “immediate breach of peace.”
- Makes an unreasonable noise near a residence they have “no right to occupy,” or in a public place.
- Fights with another person in a public place.
- Discharges a firearm (if they aren’t a police officer) in a public place (except when they are lawfully hunting or target practicing).
- Displays a deadly weapon (if they aren’t police), or displays anything that could be believed to be a gun, in a public place in a way that can cause alarm.
Disorderly conduct is a class 1 petty offense in most cases, but it can also be charged up to a class 2 misdemeanor in Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park.
When Did the Government Get Involved with Bullying?
Bullying isn’t something that we should ignore as a society. But, why does the government need to be involved? In the past, the parents of each of the girls would have met to solve the problem. Because the parents called the police instead, a 12-year-old girl has been charged with an offense that is commonly charged after bar fights. We are wasting police resources on school playground tussles. Parents should handle these incidents on their own, or schools should intervene if the problem exists there. Now this 8th grader must stand before a judge and have a criminal offense in her past.