In the old days the cop would have taken the disruptive child to his parents (mom) and explained the offending behavior. The kid would get a good scolding and that would be the end of it.
"In the old days" where I grew up, things did happen differently. Boys were not scolded for playing games on public property.
If a boy had been arrested for playing on public property, both of the parents would have screamed at and threatened the cop and the chief. Both policemen would have apologized to both of the parents. ...reminds me of the reaction and resolution, after a patrolman's daughter injured a neighborhood boy.