Kid busted by the food cops

February 17, 2010
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY — Next time you're about to sneak a snack while riding on a Big Blue Bus, you may want to think twice.

Eating on the bus system isn't just bad manners, it's also against state law, as one 14-year-old boy found out first hand this month when two undercover officers escorted him off a No. 4 bus and wrote him a citation for unlawfully eating Cheetos.

Kaivon Simab, a student at Paul Revere Junior High School in Brentwood, was heading to his home in Westwood when he and another minor were cited by Santa Monica Police Department officers for the offense. Since the Feb. 1 incident, Simab's mother has filed a complaint with the SMPD, arguing her son's treatment was out of line with his offense.

www.smdp.com/Articles-..._cops.html

Next its fashion police..

i wish that wasnt believeable, but its funny!!!

It's crap like this that is giving the public a bad attitude towards the cops. I would have definately warned the kid and had him put the food away.

Ok Dugie, how about a little less judgment and arm chair quarterbacking about a situation that you know nothing about. Just remember the Cops didn't make the law and I can tell you for a fact that Cheetos citations are not what they come to work for every day. They were assigned to that bus because of complaints from the driver about the kids. The kids had already been warned by the driver and had chosen to harass him. Now don't ask me why they don't allow people to eat on the busses, but I imagine it is because of the messes some people leave behind. My response to the parents would be that if you were adequately policing your kids, the Cops wouldn't have to be doing it for you. If this causes a bad attitude from some parents, so be it. Every job has both good points and less desirable ones and we have all drawn the details. It comes with the territory and Cop work is no different.

Well from my point of view I see it as a over reaction. If the kids have been out of line with the driver then deal with that issue. I know that the cops dont come to work everyday to deal with cheetos, give me a break. No matter how you present it this incident does not shine well on the cops. I know that the cops did not make the law, but there is such a thing as spirit of the law vs letter of the law. I have always found in my 20+ years of experience enforcing the spirit of the law works better than coming across as a prick and enforcing the letter of the law.

I agree with Dugie....giving a cite for eating Cheetos.....man I think I can find better things to do than cite kids....But then again it was Santa Monica

It was probably their way of deterring some punk kids from harassing the drivers. Either that or it was a new cop on FTP and his FTO couldn't find any other calls for him.

I remember having to do a theft report on a lady who went on christmas vacation and came back with $5 worth or chocolate fudge missing! FTP I will not miss LOL.