An 8-year-old boy riding a jet ski with no parents in sight got stopped by cops in Florida ... police had harsh words for the father, who said his kid is "very proficient" ... and now folks are debating his parenting.

Police bodycam footage out of Sarasota shows the moment a marine police officer stops a kid on a jet ski ... asking him straight up, "Where's your parents?"

The boy proceeds to lead the officer to his father, and cops start questioning him.

The father is quick to admit he doesn't think his son is legally allowed to ride a jet ski alone at such a young age ... but he says he and his son have been riding jet skis for years and the kid is "very proficient."

Still, Florida laws says a person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft ... and it's a second-degree misdemeanor to allow a person under 14 to do so.

As a result, the father is getting dragged to court!