A parent defending a child or a coach being protective of a player are commonly instinctive actions.

But how many people in this society are willing to carry out their tough love approach by turning a child in to authorities for breaking the law?Michael Palomino, who has been a sheriff's deputy of 30 years, was faced with that choice after identifying his son Raymond as being part of a mob beating in a YouTube video recently. In the video clip, Raymond and five other attackers are seen brutally beating and robbing a teenager in an alley in back of an elementary school in Chicago.The victim, a 17-year-old high school senior of Asian descent, was stomped on, punched in the face and kicked by his attackers, who then robbed him of $180 in cash and also stole his sneakers.The shoeless victim was able to escape his attackers after the brutal beating and was later treated for his injuries at a hospital. All of the assailants had their faces covered with hoods or masks, except for Raymond Palomino. At 17, he was charged by police as an adult on one count of robbery and one count of aggravated battery. Three 16-year-old boys, three 15-year-old boys and one 15-year-old girl were also charged as juveniles in connection to the case.After the attack was posted on YouTube, it received close to half a million views. Among those were Palomino relatives, who then informed the father.Michael Palomino, a single parent, said it was a difficult decision but he decided to notify the police."I did what was right as a parent … I am in law enforcement myself. The right thing was to turn him in," Michael said on "Good Morning America."Although he doesn't regret his decision, he does feel his son's punishment has been harsh. Raymond faces charges of robbery and aggravated battery, both felonies. Bail was set at $100,000, an amount his father can't afford and what his attorney called a "spit in the face."Police, meanwhile, feel the mob-type behavior can't be tolerated. Chicago's police superintendent said this was not an isolated attack and that such mob violence has been going on for a while.Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also said that the incident should serve as "a wake-up call to all of us."During a court appearance Monday, a judge refused Palomino's lawyers' request to drop the bond, and denied a request to release Palomino on electronic monitoring.Many of us have heard stories about a coach using tough love on players. Bob Hurley Sr., coach of the nationally-acclaimed high school basketball program at St. Anthony's in Jersey City, has been known to bench his "star" players, even before critical games.Before the 1978 Orange Bowl Arkansas head coach Lou Holtz suspended his two starting running backs, who had accounted for 78 percent of the team's points that season. Arkansas was already an 18-point underdog against Oklahoma prior to the suspensions. Holtz' team ended up winning the game, 31-6.Hopefully, Raymond Palomino will learn from his mistake and after looking back on it a number of years from now, realize that his father's tough-love approach helped him get back on course with his life.By Jim Zbickjzbick@tnonline.com