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Police urge parents to 'please stop' telling kids common white lie

WA Police are urging parents to stop telling their children a little white lie to get them to behave.

On Facebook, Perth District - WA Police Force asked parents to stop saying "you better behave or that police officer will arrest you" when their kid misbehaves or aren't doing as they are told.

"Please STOP saying things like that," the police wrote on Facebook.

WA Police are asking parents to stop telling them they will be arrested for misbehaving. Source: Perth District - WA Police Force/Facebook
WA Police are asking parents to stop telling them they will be arrested for misbehaving. Source: Perth District - WA Police Force/Facebook

"Help us teach our kids that when they are in danger and need help, they can come to us and feel safe."

Instead, the police suggested parents engage in a "friendly chat" with an officer, which may distract a child and provide a "positive policing impact for you and your child instead".

"Of course we will arrest people who commit actual crimes, but we definitely won't be arresting your child for not eating their dinner..." the police said.

Several people in the comments agreed not threatening your children with the prospect of getting in trouble with the police was a good idea.

"That makes so much sense," one parent said.

"I'm not guilty of ever doing this with my girls as I've always been supportive of our officers. But I can see this shining a bad light on our police force."

"Abrogating their responsibility if they are not teaching their own children right from wrong, good from bad," someone said.

Though one person did disagree, for "egregious misbehaviour" as it could teach children to respect the law.

One person did point out on the post some children who have witnessed mistreatment at the hands of the police may grow up fearing police, particularly among indigenous youth.

"I get scared, police drive behind me, my heart start racing but that’s intergenerational trauma and for me I’m still scared of police so you set the example for my kids to trust you," they said.

According to the Australian Associated Press, there have been five indigenous police deaths in custody in a month.

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