DeKalb County Police (in Georgia, near Atlanta) are a bit red-faced these days after one of their officers busted several groups of Girl Scouts. What did they bust them for? Selling Girl Scout cookies, what else?

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a small group of Girl Scouts, mostly eight-year-olds, are selling cookies from the parking lot of the Chick-Fil-A that’s closed on Sunday. This is in the middle of March.

The officer who writes the ticket tells the girls and their adult leader that they are in violation of DeKalb County ordinance 15-241 which requires a permit for soliciting in unincorporated areas of the county.

The Girl Scout leader objects to the ticket because the troop has permission from the property owner. The county cop calls his sergeant.

The Girl Scout leader pleads for her girls to the sergeant, but Sarge says that doesn’t matter because the girls are breaking the law by selling cookies without a permit.

"This is crazy,"says the Girl Scout leader.

No matter. Now the county cops drive down Wesley Chapel Road to the Kroger Shopping Center where they ticket yet another troop of Girl Scouts. These girls are also selling cookies. The second bust ends the Girl Scout fund-raiser on this Sunday, so the eight-year-olds and their leaders pack up their "contraband" cookies and go home.

Monday morning the major’s phone starts ringing off the hook. The major is the precinct commander, so he’s the guy everybody complains to if they have a beef with the police. Recognizing a potential public relations disaster when he sees one, the major quickly apologizes and voids the tickets.

Defending the actions of his officers, the major says, "Hey, we’re not the bad guys. We love the Girl Scouts. I just bought some of their cookies myself."

I certainly hope he didn’t buy them from an unlicensed Girl Scout.