Parents Defend Youth Boot Camp as Police Investigate Assault Allegations

There's yelling, pushups,everything you'd associate with a military boot camp, but in this case it's kids as young as four years old who are training.

"I'm not going to chew up a four year old like I do an older kid, no," said the founder of the non-profit organization, Paul Huntington.

Parents like Kevin Penfield believe reality invasion has been a saving grace. 

"When Abilene closed all their doors to  someone like me these people opened their doors for us," he said.
 
However, now Abilene police are investigating assault allegations on staff there.

Drill sergeants use handcuffs and even a stun gun to control any child, but only under extreme circumstances.

'If they're going to continue to fight with me and continue to cause havoc around the kids around them and their instructors, that's a problem," said Huntington, who's run the program for three years. 

Huntington says  a child is handcuffed using as little force as possible.

This disciplinary method isn't a surprise to parents.

In order to enroll in the program, any parent has to  sign a waiver allowing the staff to either handcuff or tase their child.

Many with told KTAB they're okay with it, as long as it's necessary.

"I feel like for the safety of these instructors because a lot of these kids are violent, mine is one of them," said Penfield.

So they're not bothered by these allegations, in fact they've gathered to support the program and staff and while some like 13 year-old Ember Bishop admitted to police they dont exactly enjoy the program, saying,

"I lied, because I wanted boot camp to end, and never happen again,"

Her dad assures its the boot camp that's dramatically changed her attitude.

"They respect adults a lot better than what they used to be," said Lowell Bishop.

So he'll continue to support Reality Invasion, no matter what police say.

Police tell us so far they've found one child whose shown signs of alleged assault.

Huntington however, says hes only had to use the stun gun once and that he's never seen any of his assistants abuse their power.

So far no arrests have been made.

Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge tells us investigators are permitted by Texas law to question any child concerning a criminal investigation without the parents consent.