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Putnam Sheriff's Office bashed over weapons shown to kids

An elementary school-aged student poses with a grenade laucher at a Putnam County Sheriff's Office event.
Putnam County Sheriff's Office Facebook
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via Florida Times-Union
An elementary school-aged student poses with a grenade laucher at a Putnam County Sheriff's Office event.

A Facebook post by a local law enforcement agency that showed young children grasping large revolver-type grenade launchers is causing some stir online.

Tuesday the Putnam County Sheriff's Office posted photos from the agency's "Touch-A-Truck" event that took place at the Francis Youth Sports Complex in Palatka. According to the Sheriff's Office, the event was geared mostly toward kindergarten through second-graders and was to "build relationships with our kids and parents."

But on Facebook and Twitter, critics are raising concerns, saying the event and photo ops could glorify weapons and prompt children to perceive guns as playthings and promote the militarization of law enforcement.

Read the rest of this story at WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union.