Narrative:

During boarding, a local corrections officer wanted to board a 'runaway' juvenile on our flight from stockton to sfo. The officer presented this person to me in handcuffs and shackles. The individual in question looked like a punk-rock troublemaker. Our operations manual requires prisoners to be accompanied by an escort. Their intention was to place the prisoner on our flight, remove the handcuffs and shackles, and have another officer take custody of him upon our arrival in sfo. Meanwhile, my first officer and I were supposed to be responsible for him. I refused to allow him to board. The officer argued that she could make me board him, and that he was just a runaway and not a risk, just a 'low risk.' I countered that I am PIC and make final decisions regarding safety and don't answer to correction officers. If he was low risk, why was he handcuffed with his ft in chains? Even I go through security screening to get to my aircraft and must pass a 5 yr backgnd check as a condition of employment. How do I know what a person dressed like a punk-rocker with the state of mind of a runaway, is going to do once turned loose on my flight? I denied the passenger boarding and the flight was routine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER CAPT REFUSED TO ALLOW BOARDING OF A RUNAWAY JUVENILE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO HIM IN HANDCUFFS AND WITH LEGS SHACKLED.

Narrative: DURING BOARDING, A LCL CORRECTIONS OFFICER WANTED TO BOARD A 'RUNAWAY' JUVENILE ON OUR FLT FROM STOCKTON TO SFO. THE OFFICER PRESENTED THIS PERSON TO ME IN HANDCUFFS AND SHACKLES. THE INDIVIDUAL IN QUESTION LOOKED LIKE A PUNK-ROCK TROUBLEMAKER. OUR OPS MANUAL REQUIRES PRISONERS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ESCORT. THEIR INTENTION WAS TO PLACE THE PRISONER ON OUR FLT, REMOVE THE HANDCUFFS AND SHACKLES, AND HAVE ANOTHER OFFICER TAKE CUSTODY OF HIM UPON OUR ARR IN SFO. MEANWHILE, MY FO AND I WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM. I REFUSED TO ALLOW HIM TO BOARD. THE OFFICER ARGUED THAT SHE COULD MAKE ME BOARD HIM, AND THAT HE WAS JUST A RUNAWAY AND NOT A RISK, JUST A 'LOW RISK.' I COUNTERED THAT I AM PIC AND MAKE FINAL DECISIONS REGARDING SAFETY AND DON'T ANSWER TO CORRECTION OFFICERS. IF HE WAS LOW RISK, WHY WAS HE HANDCUFFED WITH HIS FT IN CHAINS? EVEN I GO THROUGH SECURITY SCREENING TO GET TO MY ACFT AND MUST PASS A 5 YR BACKGND CHK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT. HOW DO I KNOW WHAT A PERSON DRESSED LIKE A PUNK-ROCKER WITH THE STATE OF MIND OF A RUNAWAY, IS GOING TO DO ONCE TURNED LOOSE ON MY FLT? I DENIED THE PAX BOARDING AND THE FLT WAS ROUTINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.