tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22265006201028981302024-03-13T16:03:48.210-05:00COPS SHOOTING DOGSAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-35754676305642722102013-11-27T04:03:00.001-06:002013-11-27T04:03:12.671-06:00Animal advocates want justice for shot dogs<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">February 27, 2013 7:45 am • By Felicia Cousart Matlosz fmatlosz@selmaenterprise.com<br /><br />Animal rights advocates told the City Council on Feb. 19 that they want justice for the five dogs shot and killed by a Selma police officer last month at the Selma Animal Shelter. Since the incident happened, city officials said discussions have taken place to make sure an incident like it never happens again.<br /><br />But animal rights supporters still are concerned and upset. More than a dozen animal rights advocates, a number of them from Fresno, attended the meeting. One brought a Feb. 1 letter that she said had been sent to the Fresno County District Attorney, seeking an investigation. Another speaker presented an online petition that she said was signed by more than 1,000 people from a broad section of communities.<br /><br />“Five lives were lost that day,” said Danielle Jones of Sanger. She also addressed a comment directly to Selma’s interim police chief: “Justice, justice should be done to the officer, Myron Dyck.”<br /><br />Representatives spoke during the oral communications section of the meeting, which allows members of the public to address the council members about issues not posted on the scheduled agenda.<br /><br />Mayor Ken Grey and Council Member Scott Robertson said after the council meeting that discussions have taken place to ensure a similar situation never happens again. Those talks have covered different areas, such as proper training and developing new systems for animal control.<br /><br />“We’re taking the issue very seriously,” Grey said. “We hope from this we’ll all have learned something that will lead to a better control system for our animals here in Selma.”<br /><br />“I can tell you that the shooting has not been ignored, and the past will not be repeated,” Robertson said. “Policies and procedures have been reviewed with the police department.”<br /><br />Robertson said that the crux of the issue is this: “How do we turn this tragic event into a positive, to make it a teachable moment so that events do not repeat themselves?”<br /><br />The identity of the officer involved in the shooting has not been disclosed.<br /><br />Grey said after the council meeting: “The review and what ultimately may be the outcome of that is a personnel matter. By law, I’m prohibited from commenting on that issue.”<br /><br />On Jan. 18, five pit bull mix dogs were at the Selma Animal Shelter, brought there by a single owner. Selma Police Department officials and representatives from the shelter’s volunteer group agreed the dogs were not going to be adoptable and would have to be euthanized.<br /><br />What happened after that angered the animal rights community. The veterinarian used by the city for euthanizations was not able to get to the shelter. The police officer approached the dogs, in an attempt to take them to the veterinarian.<br /><br />But the dogs became aggressive. The officer feared a threatening situation. And, Dyck said in an interview in early February, the officer was aware of the December case in which four pit bull dogs mauled 34-year-old Estaban Alavez to death in the driveway of a Selma-area home. The officer worried about what would happen if the dogs were left there, and other people came to the site. The officer shot and killed the dogs.<br /><br />Melody Overholser, the volunteer coordinator for the shelter, told the council members on Feb. 19: “What happened that day was sincerely our worst nightmare.”<br /><br />She said that the group lost a few volunteers, and “I’m not going to lie, I wanted to quit as well as the rest of them.” But the importance of their efforts to save the lives of more dogs outweighed her initial reaction. In 2012, more than 300 animals were taken into the shelter. Only six had to be euthanized. A prime reason is that the police department lets dogs stay for longer periods of time in the shelter than other shelters typically allow.<br /><br />The police department now also has a part-time animal control officer. He started Jan. 2. (The department last had a full-time animal control officer in April 2009.)<br /><br />“All I want to do is move forward, and it’s with the blessing of all you guys that we can and still save dogs,” Overholser said.<br /><br />Brenda Mitchell, a member of the Animal Compassion Team in Fresno, then told the council that she thought the Selma volunteers “may be fearful” to be honest about how they feel. “Don’t for one second think that their kindness and forgiveness is something that says you guys are OK,” Mitchell said. “This is wrong, and it needs to be addressed.”<br /><br />Animal rights advocates believe a more thorough investigation of what happened on Jan. 18 has to be done.<br /><br />Ashley Hughes, a member of Westside Rescue in Fresno, read from the Feb. 1 letter to Fresno County District Attorney Elizabeth Egan. The letter in part said that “the implication that the incident should be minimized because the dogs were slated for euthanasia anyway is equally troubling. Make no mistake — shooting a dog inside a kennel is not euthanasia.”<br /><br />The letter includes at the bottom the names of representatives from 11 animal advocacy organizations. The names include Eric Sakach, senior law enforcement specialist for the Humane Society of the United States, and Brandy Kuentzel, corporate counsel/director of advocacy for the San Francisco SPCA.<br /><br />“We are jointly requesting from your office a formal response revealing how and why the incident occurred, an accounting of what review of agency procedures is under way and a description of any recourse you decide to pursue against the officer who committed this heinous act,” the letter stated.<br /><br />As of presstime, the Enterprise had not received a response from the Fresno County District Attorney’s office about the letter.<br /><br />A separate and ongoing issue is the location of the Selma Animal Shelter, which is several miles south of downtown Selma.<br /><br />Robertson is involved in efforts to explore suitable sites. “It is the right time for a new shelter that will be easier for people to access and adopt from, safer for volunteers and a more humane place for our animals,” he said.<br /><br />Grey said: “I feel very confident that Scott and the volunteers are working very aggressively toward making a move happen for a shelter that would be a vast improvement for the community.”<br /><br />http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/selma_enterprise/news/animal-advocates-want-justice-for-shot-dogs/article_f923b4d6-804d-11e2-9f51-001a4bcf887a.html</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-34977257104077870972013-11-27T03:59:00.001-06:002013-11-27T03:59:13.781-06:00Double standards penalties for police officers shooting family dogs<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">DOGS SHOT BY POLICE</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">FEBRUARY 25, 2013BY: ELISA BLACK-TAYLOR<br /> <span class="text_exposed_show"><br />
There are double standard penalties for police officers shooting family
dogs. Or should I say no penalty? The Merriam-Webster dictionary
defines double standard as "a set of principles that applies differently
and usually more rigorously to one group of people or circumstances
than to another." This is what I'd call a double standard penalty when a
police officer shoots a family dog rather than a private citizen
committing the act. Meaning the officer gets away with it, while someone
who's not a member of law enforcement goes to jail.<br /> <br /> A recent
example of a private citizen being arrested for animal cruelty after
shooting two dogs occurred in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania on
February12. Gabriel Pilotti, 72, was charged with two cases of animal
cruelty after killing two dogs Pilotti originally claimed were after his
sheep. He later changed his story saying he shot one of the dogs while
it was slowly coming toward him, and the other dog as it was running
away.<br /> <br /> Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan stated in a
news release "there was no justification for the killing of these two
dogs. The defendant has been charged and will be dealt with
appropriately. Our sympathies go out to the family and children who lost
their beloved pets."<br /> <br /> This is a far cry from the statements
issued across this country at an alarming rate when police officers
shoot a family dog under very similar circumstances. Countless dogs have
lost their lives these past few years due to the trigger-happy attitude
of some police officers. Many of these dogs were murdered on their own
property, or chased to another property where they were gunned down.<br /> <br />
A common excuse made by the officer is "I feared for my life, therefore
I had the right to defend myself." Sadly, the officer is usually
cleared of any wrong doing. The officer must be cleared, or it's an
admission of guilt. In monetary terms, admitting guilt means paying out
big bucks when the family of the dog sues the department or town.<br /> <br />
The internet is filled with the stories of innocent dogs being shot by
police. The Facebook page Dogs Shot By Police has new stories added
almost daily. In the majority of these cases, the dog is either on or
adjacent to where the dog lives. On many occasions, the officer is at
the wrong address entirely.<br /> <br /> Legislation needs to be enacted on a
federal level defining strict fines and prison sentences for police
officer's who abuse their authority and kill innocent pets. If an
average citizen can be charged for the same offense and face fines and
jail time, then so should the officer committing the same crime. A
police officer is no better than those of us not in uniform when
committing such a horrendous act.<br /> <br /> Perhaps this "kill at will"
attitude will change as more dog owner's are suing those responsible for
the wrongful death of their pet. Many of these lawsuits name not just
the department, but the actual officer involved.<br /> <br /> Why aren't
police officers "dealt with appropriately?" Why do police departments
not issue any words of sympathy when their officers kill the family pet?<br /> <br />
How do the readers here feel? Should the police be held to the same set
of standards as the rest of us. Or should the double standard
philosophy continue to apply, basically giving approval for officers to
shoot first and explain their way out of it later? Your comments are
welcome.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/double-standards-penalties-for-police-officers-shooting-family-dogs" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.examiner.com/article/double-standards-penalties-for-police-officers-shooting-family-dogs</a></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-89925846744727560052013-11-27T03:53:00.001-06:002013-11-27T03:53:42.336-06:00Pit bulls most common breed shot by police<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apr. 13, 2013 | Written by Marisa Kendall<br /><br />Animals are targets in the majority of Southwest Florida officer shootings.<br /><br />Officers shot at animals 111 times from 2009-12 compared to human suspects 24 times, according to a database analysis by The News-Press.<br /><br />Pit bulls that threatened officers accounted for a large percentage of the shootings. Deputies shot at least 22 pit bulls in Lee County — the breed accounted for more than 75 percent of all dogs shot, and 36 percent of all animals shot. Not all sheriff’s office reports identified the breed of dog shot.<br /><br />In Collier County, deputies shot at least four pit bulls from 2009-12, and the breed accounted for almost half of all threatening dogs shot.<br /><br />Other aggressive animals shot by Collier County deputies include alligators, bobcats, raccoons and rattlesnakes. Deputies used firearms to euthanize 16 injured animals.<br /><br />Cape Coral and Fort Myers did not have data available breaking down shootings by breeds of dogs.<br /><br />Tara Davis had to put down her pit bull, Dutchess, in 2011 after a Lee County deputy shot the dog in the neck. Deputies were responding to a domestic dispute involving Davis’ friend at the Leigh Acres home they shared. Dutchess, trying to defend the property, ran at a deputy and pinned him against the wall. Davis wasn’t home at the time.<br /><br />“When I got there my dog was bleeding all over my front porch,” Davis said. “She actually got up and was trying to come to where I was. But when I came home, I just fell down in the middle of the driveway. I couldn’t even make it up to the door.”<br /><br />Davis, who raised 4-year-old Dutchess from birth, said she was devastated. The dog was never aggressive before, but Davis said she understood why the deputy had to shoot.<br /><br />On Thursday, 16 of 100 dogs available for adoption at Lee County Domestic Animal Services were pit bulls. Spokeswoman Ria Brown said the dogs have a reputation for aggression because some are abused or trained to be aggressive by irresponsible owners. Even if the dogs are friendly, they may naturally become protective when an unknown deputy enters their home.<br /><br />A pit bull’s strong, muscular body and fiercely loyal temperament also often make it the breed of choice for criminals, Brown said.<br /><br />“So if (deputies are) pursuing a criminal case,” she said, “they’re probably going to run into a pit bull.”<br /><br />Collier County Cpl. Uriel Roman said deputies should react the same to any threat of death or injury — whether it’s a charging pit bull or a man with a gun.<br /><br />“The policy goes,” he said, “if there’s a threat, then you take care of it.”<br /><br />http://www.news-press.com/article/20130414/CRIME/304140040/Pit-bulls-most-common-breed-shot-by-police?nclick_check=1</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-59461816167635511542013-11-27T03:46:00.000-06:002013-11-27T03:46:06.049-06:00Why Are So Many Dogs Being Shot by Police?<header class="entry-header"><h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline">
</h1>
<div class="entry-meta">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><time class="entry-time" datetime="2013-05-06T07:30:00+00:00" itemprop="datePublished">May 6, 2013</time> by <span class="entry-author" itemprop="author" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="entry-author-link" href="http://www.petsadviser.com/author/admin/" itemprop="url" rel="author"><span class="entry-author-name" itemprop="name">Pets Adviser</span></a></span> <span class="entry-comments-link"><a data-disqus-identifier="15287 http://petsadviser.com/?p=15287" href="http://www.petsadviser.com/news/dogs-shot-by-police/#disqus_thread">Read 39 comments</a></span></span></span> </div>
</header><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/gunned-down-logo-day1.png"><img alt="Police shootings of dogs" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-16094" height="150" src="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/gunned-down-logo-day1.png" width="320" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_16088" style="width: 306px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dog-shot-in-new-york-city.png"><img alt="A New York City police officer shoots a dog. By: Gothamist." class=" wp-image-16088 " height="163" src="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dog-shot-in-new-york-city.png" width="200" /></a></span></span><div class="wp-caption-text">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A New York City police officer shoots a dog named Star, who was protecting her injured owner, August 13, 2012. By: Gothamist.</span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>On a chilly night in late February</strong></span><br />
in Fishers, Ind., Patricia McConnell was taking her daughter’s
7-year-old, 20-pound terrier mix, Reese, out for a midnight potty.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reese was harnessed and on a retractable leash, but as she bounded
ahead around a corner, the dog saw a neighbor and started to bark.
Unfortunately, this neighbor was Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal William
“Buzz” Brown. Reese was able to bark only two times before the deputy
shot the leashed dog twice.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brown, who says he felt threatened, was two feet away from the dog
when he thought she might attack him. Amazingly, Reese survived.
However, because she was shot at such a close range, Reese’s front left
leg and shoulder had to be removed, and her back left leg was left
shattered. The vet bills reached $10,000.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patricia McConnell said the shooting was so unexpected that she
feared that if she said anything, the officer would fire at her as well.
Her daughter, Deborah Twitty, <a href="http://fox59.com/2013/03/17/wounded-dogs-vet-bill-reach-10000/">told Fox59</a> that they live in fear of their neighbor. “I’m afraid he’s going to retaliate,” she said of the deputy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The two women describe their ordeal in the short video below:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">U.S. Attorney Kerry Forestal responded to the public outcry that
followed by saying, “I trust Chief Deputy Brown’s ability to make
decisions on a daily basis, and I continue to trust him.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reese is very lucky to be alive — many dogs that have encounters involving police and guns don’t survive.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What’s Going On?</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recently, there has been a steady drip of awful stories like the one
above. Most of them occur when a law enforcement officer feels
threatened by a dog and makes a split-second decision to shoot.
Sometimes, as with Reese, the dogs are leashed — or even tied up in
their own yard. There are even shootings where it turns out the dogs
were running away or hiding.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because there are no national records or a centralized database of
dog shootings, it’s hard to tell if incidents are on the rise in the
United States. However, a review by Pets Adviser of “use of force”
statistics from several large cities shows no notable uptick in these
cases. In fact, in New York City the yearly number of dog shootings by
police is far below the inflated numbers of the late 1990s (43 dogs shot
in 2011 versus an average 82 per year in 1996-98; numbers include
vicious dog attacks).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The increased attention to these cases in recent months appears to be
due to heightened awareness, more extensive media coverage and social
networking buzz when a shooting occurs. The shootings occur so often, in
fact, that a certain numbness has started to set in. One commenter
online wryly remarks, “Same story. Family. Dog. Cops. Dog shot. Dog
dead. Family bereaved. Shooting justified. No matter what. Repeat.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pit Bulls Are #1 Victim</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_16089" style="width: 410px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kinkaid-vigil-small.png"><img alt="Stacy Field (in purple) gets a hug during a vigil for her dog Kincaid, killed by Baltimore police on New Year's Day. By: Matthew Mahlstedt for Pets Adviser" class=" wp-image-16089 " height="197" src="http://www.petsadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kinkaid-vigil-small.png" width="200" /></a></span></span><div class="wp-caption-text">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stacy Fields (in purple) gets a hug during a vigil for her dog Kincaid, killed by Baltimore police on New Year’s Day. By: <a href="http://matthewmahlstedt.com/" target="_blank">Matthew Mahlstedt</a> for Pets Adviser</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The idea that pit-bull-type breeds are <a href="http://www.petsadviser.com/breeds/dog-breeds-with-bad-reputations/" title="5 Dog Breeds With Bad Reputations">aggressive</a>
has led to many of these dogs being labeled as “threatening” by cops
and shot dead with minimal provocation, sometimes in the dogs’ own yard.
Pets Adviser found that around 75 to 85 percent of dogs shot by police
are pit bulls.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is not to say that other dog breeds haven’t suffered as well.
German shepherds, Rottweilers, Labrador retrievers, terriers, Shar-Peis,
even registered therapy and service dogs — all have been victims.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Just a few egregious examples:</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Late last summer in Spartanburg, S.C., a sheriff’s deputy <a href="http://www.wspa.com/story/21522437/sheriff-defends-deputy-who-killed-tethered-dog">shot dead an 8-year-old shepherd mix</a> named <strong>Diamond</strong>
who was tied to the front porch. “Why did you shoot my dog?” the owner
pleaded. The officer’s response: “She tried to bite me.” Diamond was at
the end of her restraint when she was shot, according to the dog’s
owner.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One night in April 2011, police in Camden, N.J., <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8077437">sprayed a neighborhood with gunfire</a> to take down a pit bull puppy named <strong>Capone</strong>
— even as one lone police officer pleaded, “Don’t shoot him!” Witnesses
say more than 30 bullets were fired, ricocheting across vehicles and
piercing a home. “It was like a war zone,” one startled resident
recalls.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Gulfport, Miss., police officer investigating a possible break-in at the house next door <a href="http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=14300415">fired five or six times at an 11-year-old dog</a> named <strong>Melmo</strong>
in the dog’s own backyard. Making matters worse, Melmo was on a chain
that ended “about 30 feet away” from the officer, according to the dog’s
owner. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Newfoundland named <strong>Rosie</strong> who had escaped from her home was Tased multiple times, then <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/disturbing-discrepancies-found-des-moines-dog-shooting-case">executed by officers</a> in Des Moines, Wash. A <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H2icH9SIZQ&feature=youtu.be">dashboard video</a>
of the long ordeal shows officers wondering aloud what to do with the
dog if they catch her — then they conclude, “We should just shoot
[her].” They chase her down to finish the job. Another officer hollers
“Nice!” when Rosie is shot. A witness says the officers high-fived one
another afterward.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everything was friendly and conversational when a man in Kingman,
Ariz., left his 2-year-old pit bull dog outside with police while he
stepped inside his home to retrieve his ID. He told the officers that
the dog, <strong>Blue</strong>, wouldn’t bite and says the officers
seemed comfortable. Moments later, there was a loud pop outside. A
neighbor says he saw a deputy <a href="http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=46681&TM=42902.14">fire his weapon as the dog casually walked by</a> the
group of officers. The neighbor also says he overheard another officer
tell the shooter, “Go sit in your cruiser and keep your mouth shut.” The
official police report claims the dog was charging and aggressive.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On New Year’s Day of this year, a pit bull mix named <strong>Kincaid</strong> was barking at a man running from police who had trespassed into his yard. Baltimore <a href="http://buzz.petsadviser.com/wth/baltimore-police-kill-dog/">police shot six times at the dog</a>;
half the shots missed Kincaid and his owner (who was reaching for the
dog’s harness) by only inches. Kincaid died on the scene.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A miniature bull terrier puppy named <strong>Colonel, </strong>who had just wandered out of his home in a bustling Chicago neighborhood<strong>, </strong>was <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/sns-201212112000--tms--petwrldctnya-a20121212-20121212,0,1283279.column">shot twice</a> by
an officer who happened to be out front writing a parking ticket.
Multiple witnesses say the puppy was simply sniffing a tree about a
car-length away from the police officer who shot him. Colonel is lucky
to be alive after five hours of emergency surgery.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Baby Girl</strong>, a pit bull mix who was so sweet that one of her best friends <a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/video_staten_island_pit_bull_b.html">was a rabbit</a>,
was taken to a dog park on Staten Island, N.Y., when a fight broke out
between two other dogs. While those other dogs were being separated, the
police were called. When they arrived, witnesses say Baby Girl got
scared and <a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/pit_bulls_owner_says_dog_was_c.html">ran toward the woods</a>.
Officers shot and gravely wounded her. Baby Girl held on through
several surgeries as her family prayed she would pull through; however,
she died a few days later.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the video below, Natalie Yandle and Aiden talk about the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g81g5WH29y4&feature=youtu.be">loss of their dog</a> <strong>Bucky</strong>, a therapy dog. Then Rita Hairston talks about how much she misses her dog <strong>Prada</strong>:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Deadly Consequences</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The biggest factor in the shootings appears to be insufficient
training of officers in dog behavior and non-lethal conflict resolution
when dealing with animals. Jim Crosby, a retired deputy in Jacksonville,
Fla., says, “There’s no training that I’m aware of, nothing cohesive….
That’s a tool the officers haven’t been given even though they are given
extensive training on everything else you can think of.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seen through the eyes of someone with little or no experience with
dogs, a family pet bounding toward the door can easily be mistaken as a
dog about to attack. If that person at the door has a badge and a gun,
the consequences can be deadly.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Police officers shoot thousands of dogs per year, according to former officer Jim Osorio, who is now a specialist at the <a href="http://www.nhlea.us/">National Humane Law Enforcement Academy</a>,
which provides instruction to police departments. The question is, are
there that many “aggressive” dogs? If so, why aren’t we seeing more dog
attacks on mail carriers? “Just because a dog barks doesn’t mean it’s an
aggressive dog,” says Osorio.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.petsadviser.com/news/dogs-shot-by-police/ </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-73599813386452480252013-11-27T03:38:00.003-06:002013-11-27T03:38:42.180-06:00Are local police shooting dogs first, asking questions later?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">HOUSTON – It’s a pet owner’s nightmare.<br /><br />Your dog gets gunned down right in front of you.<br /><br />In fact, the KHOU 11 News I-Team found hundreds of cases where Houston-area law enforcement pulled the trigger and shot dogs.<br /><br />No doubt, many of the cases were self defense where the officer had no other choice, but to shoot.<br /><br />But some families said their “best friend” was shot needlessly.<br /><br />The issue of dog shootings by police was the focus of a recent U.S. Department of Justice report ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php suggesting that departments add specialized training focused on teaching officers how to safely interact with dogs.<br /><br />Wes and Aisling Jones hope that happens in Houston.<br /><br />A smile comes to their face when the couple talks about their Boxer named “Boss.” “He was the runt, with a solid black face,” recalled Aisling. She adopted Boss eight years ago and the couple says he was always gentle. In pictures he’s seen playing with family members, including babies.<br /><br />“We looked forward to him being around our kids,” said Aisling. “[It] is really what we wanted, but,” she said as her voice trailed off sadly. That dream ended last fall.<br /><br />Wes Jones says he was only trying to stop the neighbor’s dog from barking. “Unfortunately, I sprayed the dog with the water hose,” said Wes. “To get him to back off.” As a result, their neighbor called Houston police.<br /><br />Soon two officers showed up, and walked up to the couple’s open front door. The Jones say Boss was inside the living room.<br /><br />Wes recalled being in the kitchen, ten to fifteen feet from the dog. Suddenly, he heard knocking, followed by something he’ll never forget. “Right after the knock, I mean two, three seconds,” said Wes. “I hear a shot and then more shots.” Wes said he didn’t hear any barking or any growling as Boss went toward the door after officers knocked. In a departmental report on the shooting, the HPD officers said, “A large boxer dog charged out the front door.” But the Jones point to pictures they say prove Boss was four feet inside their front door when he was first shot. The couple said their injured dog then ran outside, away from officers, toward his “safe place” where he kept his toys. But the Jones said the bullets kept coming.<br /><br />“They looked at it like they were at the shooting range,” said Aisling. “They had a real flesh target and they went after him.” Boss was shot twice.<br /><br />He eventually bled to death as Aisling held him in her arms. “You know, when they say a dog is a man’s best friend?” said Aisling through her tears. “They really are.” In the end, the Houston Police Department www.houstonpolice.org ruled the shooting was justified. In fact, the department said it has ruled all 187 officer-involved shootings of dogs since January 1, 2010 as justified. According to departmental records, 121 of those dogs died.<br /><br />HPD declined to talk about the cases on camera, citing a pending lawsuit arising from one of the shootings. However, a police spokesman said departmental policy authorizes officers to use any force necessary to protect someone in imminent danger of an attack. But the 11 News I-Team found a trail of heartbroken dog-owners that stretches beyond city limits. A review of cases from across the Houston-area revealed at least 228 dogs shot by police and deputies since 2010. Out of that number, 142 dogs died.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br />
“If the dog turns and comes at a citizen, or the deputy, they have all
right to use lethal force,” explained Dpt. Thomas Gilliland of the
Harris County Sheriff’s Office <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.harriscountyso.org%2F&h=mAQHc5kEE&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.harriscountyso.org/</a>. Records show Harris County deputies shot 38 canines in the last three-and-a-half years. The I-Team asked Gilliland if the shootings were justified.<br /> <br />
“The justification is, in that matter, and at that moment the deputy
had to choose the decision to use lethal force against that animal,”
explained Gilliland. But some say there’s a better way.<br /> <br /> “A
lot of times, officers are not sent to training to get that type of
certification to feel comfortable enough to deal with these animals,”
explained Sgt. Joseph Guerra of the Precinct 6 Constable’s Department. <br /> <br /> Guerra works as a cruelty investigator for the Houston Humane Society <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.houstonhumane.org%2F&h=yAQEZGG0h&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.houstonhumane.org/</a> and teaches police how to safety interact with threatening dogs. He demonstrated how a police baton can be used to distract a dog.<br /> <br />
“It’s enough for you to back up slowly and exit the gate and make that
phone call to the owner and have them put that dog up,” explained
Guerra. He believes mandatory training for officers is the key to lowering the number of dogs shot and killed by police.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> As of press time, neither HPD, nor the Harris County Sheriff’s Office requires such lessons.<br /> <br /> “We need to get those officers involved in some mandated training in how to defend before going to deadly force,” said Guerra. It’s an idea the Jones agree with.<br /> <br /> They believe what happened to them, should never happen again.<br /> <br /> “If they can get away with shooting a dog, why would they stop there?” said Aisling.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br />
According to figures from both departments, Houston police shot more
dogs last year than New York City Police officers shot in 2010 and 2011
combined.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> Following shootings in their cities, both Arlington and
Fort Worth Police Departments started mandatory dog training for
officers last fall.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> State law makers are considering a bill now that would require the training for officers across Texas.<br /> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent">by Scott Noll | KHOU 11 News</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Posted on May 14, 2013 at 11:28 PM | Updated Wednesday, May 15 at 9:36 AM</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.khou.com/news/investigative/Are-local-police-shooting-dogs-first-asking-questions-later-207423191.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.khou.com/news/investigative/Are-local-police-shooting-dogs-first-asking-questions-later-207423191.html</a></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-69378384255075193442013-11-27T03:32:00.002-06:002013-11-27T03:32:21.684-06:00Police shootings of dogs: A disturbing trend<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">by Francis Battista, Co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society<br /> <br />
The number of cases involving the shooting of dogs by police as
collateral damage in the course of their routine responsibilities <span class="text_exposed_show">seems
to be hitting the headlines with disturbing frequency. As I was looking
into the relevance of a blog post on the subject in response to an
entirely unwarranted shooting of a dog belonging to an Iraq War vet, I
noticed a post on my Facebook page with a photo of a frightened-looking
Jack Russell terrier with a gun to his head and a caption that read,
“Over a 9-Year Period Milwaukee Police Shot 434 Dogs. That’s One Every
Week.” The image came my way via the Community Against the Hawthorne CA
Police Dog Murders group. The war vet story was out of Buffalo, New
York.<br /> <br /> This is not a problem localized to a particular community
or state. A little Googling on the subject brings up a list of dog
shootings by police from across the country, but this is not a blog post
about police misconduct. It’s about community values and the apparent
fact that public policy – in this case, law enforcement policy – has not
kept up with the values of a public that generally regards pets as part
of the family. It’s a subject that nestles up against the belief that
most people hold that shelter pets should not be killed as a method of
population control. It belongs in the same policy discussion framework
that led to the passage by Congress of the Pets Evacuation and
Transportation Standards (PETS) Act following Hurricane Katrina when
thousands of Gulf Coast residents were told, sometimes at gunpoint, to
leave their dogs or cats behind. The PETS Act now requires jurisdictions
requesting federal disaster aid to have a plan in place for the
evacuation and sheltering of household pets.<br /> <br /> Let me be clear, I
realize police officers put their lives on the line every time they
respond to a crime scene, a domestic disturbance – even a routine
traffic stop can go wildly wrong. Theirs is a difficult and often
thankless job, and they deserve our support and respect. They don’t make
the laws; they enforce the laws passed by our elected officials.
However, in that critical role, they are implementing the will of the
public and are answerable to the public.<br /> <br /> I don’t believe it is
the will of the public for police to treat pets in the same way they
would a door that needs breaching with a battering ram. People don’t
expect lethal force to be the first recourse of law enforcement in
dealing with a dog, such as the off-leash Spuds MacKenzie–type puppy in
Chicago who was shot twice by an officer who was ticketing a car
blocking a driveway. The puppy followed his person, the owner of the
car, when he approached the officer to talk about the ticket. A witness
said the officer shouted at the man twice to get his dog under control
and then in a matter of seconds shot twice. The incident occurred across
the street from a school – not the best place to be letting off a
firearm at an annoying puppy.<br /> <br /> There are so many of these
incidents that I would be belaboring the point to provide links to even a
fraction of the stories and videos on the subject: family pets shot in
front of children; dogs shot who were already under control and tethered
on a catchpole; a small dog shot whose owner had confined it in the
bathroom and who posed no conceivable threat, etc., etc. These incidents
cut across all racial, ethnic and economic lines.<br /> <br /> The problem
is such that in August of 2011, the Community Oriented Policing Services
of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a booklet for
distribution to local law enforcement agencies titled “The Problem of
Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters” (Ledy VanKavage, Best Friends’
lead legislative analyst and head of our pit bull initiatives, was one
of the contributing authors). The booklet highlights the larger issue as
follows: “In most police departments, the majority of shooting
incidents involve animals, most frequently dogs. For example, nearly
three-fourths of the shooting incidents in Milwaukee from January
2000–September 2002 involved shots fired at dogs, with 44 dogs killed by
officers during that period. Information furnished by various
California law enforcement agencies indicated that at least one-half of
all intentional discharges of a firearm by an officer from 2000–2005
involved animals.” It also points out that there is no documented case
of a police or peace officer dying as the result of a dog bite.<br /> <br />
According to the American Pet Products Association, there are 78
million dogs in over 46 million American households. Given those
numbers, it is not an unreasonable assumption that a given police action
is likely to bring officers in contact with a dog whose owner regards
it as part of the family. A shoot-first policy is just not acceptable.
Every beat officer should have basic training in dog handling. Every
SWAT team should have one member who is well trained in dog encounters
and is equipped with appropriate tools – minimally a catchpole, possibly
a net-throwing gun, or they should be accompanied by an animal control
officer appropriately trained. Unless an investigative or SWAT team is
resisted with lethal force, or a dog is set into some kind of attack
mode by its owner, shooting a dog simply should not happen.<br /> <br /> The
DOJ booklet recommends better police training in things like dog
behavior, recognizing canine body language, and on-scene canine
management techniques, etc. But again, the police are empowered by our
elected officials and public policy. If we want to see police practices
with respect to dog encounters change, we need to effect police policy
through our elected officials. A great example of this in action is the
Colorado Dog Protection Act, which was signed into law earlier this year
by Governor John Hickenlooper following unanimous passage by the
Colorado legislature. The bill calls for mandatory police training and
aims to advance safety for both dogs and police.<br /> <br /> You can help.
Talk to your civic leaders and bring this issue to their attention.
Download the Department of Justice booklet and share it with your city
council and chief of police.<br /> <br /> As the country embraces the
no-kill movement and the no-kill agenda as the preferred method of
operation for our municipal shelter systems, it only makes sense that
the same ethic should inform accepted law enforcement practices.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2013/07/24/police-shootings-of-dogs-a-disturbing-trend/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2013/07/24/police-shootings-of-dogs-a-disturbing-trend/</a></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-13833682121861527142013-11-26T22:28:00.003-06:002013-11-26T22:29:10.782-06:00Are police officers going too far using deadly force against dogs?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"> (See link below to watch the video)<br /> <br /> By Darcy Spears | Created Nov. 21, 2013<br /> <br /> Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- Shoot first, ask questions later. It's a scenario police are often accu<span class="text_exposed_show">sed of. But what if the victim can't talk because it's an animal?<br /> <br /> Contact 13's Darcy Spears investigates how far is too far when cops use deadly force against dogs.<br /> <br />
January 6, 2013: A backyard with a "Beware of Dog" sign. Las Vegas
Metropolitan Police officers responding to a report of gunfire in the
area enter the yard without permission. Victor Patino's dog, Bubba,
reacts. And police shoot and kill him.<br /> <br /> "I know my dog and I
know he didn't attack him," Patino said the night it happened. "The guy,
in my mind.. the guy saw him as an easy kill and he did it. It's as
simple as that."<br /> <br /> February 2009: From their chopper, Metro
detects an infrared heat signature in Yurisai Delatorre's backyard. They
think it's a suspect, but it's Yurisai's dog, Coco who chased officers
and was shot and killed by police.<br /> <br /> At the time of the incident,
LVMPD Officer Bill Cassell told Action News, "If this had not been a
large, angry animal capable of severely injuring the officer, it's
possible the officer would have let the dog bite him and keep going."<br /> <br /> And then, there's the case of Freckles.<br /> <br /> "He was an awesome dog," says Sarah Rose Hecht. "He was my everything. He was my confidant. He was my best friend."<br /> <br /> Sarah Rose got Freckles when she was 15.<br /> <br /> "I don't think I would be the person I am today without him," she says, wiping away tears.<br /> <br /> Her brother called her on the evening of May 21, while she was at work. <br /> <br /> "Saying an officer had run my dog over and that he's passing away on the front yard."<br /> <br /> They raced to the vet to try to save his life, but it was too late.<br /> <br />
"So at that time, I asked her if I could be with him while we put him
to sleep. And that was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life,"
Sarah Rose says, barely able to get the words out.<br /> <br /> When the
incident with Freckles happened, Metro told Action News the dog had
gotten out and was moving to attack some neighborhood children. The
officer didn't want to use his gun around the kids, so he used his car
instead.<br /> <br /> Metro says they encounter dogs every day and almost always deal with them successfully where no one gets hurt. <br /> <br />
In the past three years, they've used force against 18 dogs. In 2011,
one died. In 2012, four--including a Metro K-9 shot by a Metro officer.
This year, use of force has resulted in three dogs being killed.<br /> <br /> Metro provided several incident reports where dogs were shot--mostly because they charged officers.<br /> <br />
None of them include the cases we're profiling because--like
Freckles--they're part of Metro's Use of Force review process, which
they say is confidential.<br /> <br /> As of last Spring, Former Assistant Sheriff Ted Moody revamped that process to include cases involving animals.<br /> <br />
"When an officer fires a weapon," Moody explains, "we think that is a
significant event in the career of that officer and we want to look at
the circumstances under which that occurred very, very carefully.
Because today it's an animal, tomorrow maybe it's a human being."<br /> <br /> "So many of these cases are so preventable," says Gina Greisen with Nevada Voters for Animals.<br /> <br /> Greisen is tracking cases across the country where police kill pets.<br /> <br /> "It's such a negative reflection on the department when they do this."<br /> <br /> She's pushing to hold cops more accountable and require better training in recognizing typical dog behavior.<br /> <br />
"So if we could have officers understand that behavior, perhaps they
wouldn't shoot a dog because a dog is running up to an officer."<br /> <br />
Henderson Police Spokesperson Keith Paul says, "The officers do go
through training in the academy on how to deal with animals. They try
very hard to avoid the animals. They even have catch poles in most of
the supervisors' cars and when the opportunity arises, you hope to be
able to call Animal Control to take care of the animals."<br /> <br /> But take this case from September, 2011, where Henderson Police shot a dog over a can of Four Loko.<br /> <br />
According to the incident report, they were responding to a panhandling
call involving two men in the area of St. Rose and Eastern. They knew
there was a dog--with a collar and leash--in a nearby drainage area.<br /> <br />
But instead of allowing one of the men to secure the dog, an officer
went down into the drainage ditch to retrieve a can of Four Loko for
evidence that the men were drinking in public. <br /> <br /> When the cop grabbed the can, he says the dog growled and lunged, so the officer opened fire, shooting the dog in the shoulder.<br /> <br />
Keith Paul wouldn't answer questions about the case. In general, he
says, "Once you have someone in custody, you cannot allow them to go out
of custody to go take care of their animal."<br /> <br /> In this case,
police didn't even complete the arrest, as the incident report says, "in
the interest of justice and as a sign of good will" to the dog owner.<br /> <br /> Henderson Police could only find two reports where they used force against dogs in the last five years.<br /> <br /> North Las Vegas police have killed seven dogs this year alone. <br /> <br />
Friday on Action News at 6, we'll look at some of those cases as well
as a proposed new law governing how cops deal with animals.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jrn.com/ktnv/news/contact-13/contact-13-investigates/Police-killing-pets-232931951.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.jrn.com/ktnv/news/contact-13/contact-13-investigates/Police-killing-pets-232931951.html</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-89047615643580460242013-11-26T22:16:00.000-06:002013-11-26T22:16:19.319-06:00Dogs Shot By Police<div class="article-dateline">
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</span></span><div class="article__body">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="inline_link omniture-click-processed" href="http://www.examiner.com/topic/dogs-shot-by-police">Dogs Shot By Police</a> is now a page on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dogs-Shot-by-Police/188434097845629" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.
There are currently more than 2000 people following the stories of how
those in law enforcement, whom we're supposed to put our trust in, are
killing our dogs.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During the coming months, I intend to address this problem on a national level. Meaning I'll be covering news stories of <a class="inline_link omniture-click-processed" href="http://www.examiner.com/topic/dogs-shot">dogs shot</a> by police. My goal is to educate both police officers as well as the general public.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The average dog owner may think this topic doesn't apply to them. If
you're a law abiding citizen, surely a police officer can't just come
onto your private property and shoot your dog! I'm here to tell you they
can, they do, and it's happening every day in cities across America.
Almost every case I've examined involves a wrong address or a situation
where the property owner isn't involved at all. Except at the end of the
day, their beloved companion has been shot and killed by police.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Police department personnel are standing behind these officers who
are murdering these innocent dogs. I can't say that I blame them from a
legal standpoint. To admit a mistake was made would open the door for a
lawsuit. Many dog owner's whose dogs have been innocently murdered are
now seeking legal advice. If their dog had been killed by a "civilian"
there would be repercussions. The shooter would face charges, a fine and
perhaps even jail time. Police are above the law where these cases are
concerned.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another disturbing factor is witnesses and dog owners are showing
these dogs are not "attacking," yet the officers involved aren't facing
any disciplinary action by their respective police departments. Even
with evidence to back up the fact these dogs didn't do anything wrong,
nothing is being done to show officers this isn't acceptable behavior. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I published my first article a few months back titled <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/dog-owners-beware-police-officers-are-killing-family-dogs">Dog Owners Beware: Police Officers Are Killing Family Dogs</a>, I never dreamed the problem was as great as it is. Now, as I see it, the problem is growing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope dog owners will use the new Facebook page as a gathering place
to report these stories, as well as any legal action that stems from
them. Someone somewhere must find an attorney willing to find justice
for these dogs. Only through the court system can a standard be set to
try future cases.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'd like to add I don't have anything personally against police
officers. The majority are kind, caring people who do their duty and
protect us. I'm doing this article to protect them as well as to protect
the canine population. Because I believe someone will eventually snap
emotionally from seeing their dog gunned down and attack the officer
responsible. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't happened already. It's a
natural instinct to protect your children. For many dog owners, their
dog IS their child.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I personally have a boxer mix. My Dreyfuss is large dog who is well
trained and wouldn't hurt anyone unless they wanted to hurt me. He chose
me as his mom when he was a puppy. I met with his owner, who had the
pups in the back of an old pickup truck. I silently walked around the
truck several times to see what would happen. Dreyfuss was the only pup
to follow me. He's been following me 12 years now. I'm not timid in
saying I'd go a bit insane should anything of this sort happen to him.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I urge dog owners everywhere to begin following my articles. See how
large the problem has become and use caution when your dog is outside.
History now shows that being on private property doesn't mean your dog
is safe.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Feel free to leave comments. Share these articles with friends.
Examiner is a prestigious publication where theses articles can empower.
I feel it's the perfect online site to bring this problem to the
attention of our nation. Because that's what it's going to take to stop
this.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Police officers need better training on how to perceive dogs. The
training now received doesn't appear to be effective. Dog owners need to
be aware of this new danger. I hope every reader will feel free to
discuss ideas on how we can all work together to keep our dogs safe.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.examiner.com/article/dogs-shot-by-police </span></span><br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-87495759182245973622013-11-26T20:42:00.004-06:002013-11-26T20:42:41.841-06:00Position Statements on Law Enforcement Response to Potentially Dangerous Dogs<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Background</b><br />The ASPCA receives regular reports of incidents in which dogs have been shot, often fatally, by police officers in the conduct of their regular duties. Although some of these animals may have been utilized as weapons by their handlers or been involved in attacks on people or other animals, many cases have involved family pets killed on the owner’s property. Police department policies generally grant broad powers to officers to shoot animals if the officers feel that they are in "imminent danger" or if a dog has killed or is in the process of attacking people, livestock or other pets.<br /><br />Most police departments require detailed reports any time an officer discharges a firearm, even accidentally. Some of these reports reveal a disturbing trend. Our review of public records of firearms discharges by police indicates that it is common for 50% or more of all shooting incidents to involve an officer shooting a dog. Many of these incidents involve multiple shots fired and many do not result in the dog’s swift, humane death.<br /><br />Policies that require only that an officer “feel” threatened set a very low threshold for justifying the killing of dogs. In virtually all cases we have examined, internal reviews of dog shootings have ruled them to be justifiable under existing policies, even though several cases have resulted in substantial civil judgments against police departments for wrongful destruction. Such incidents not only jeopardize the lives of companion animals, but also undermine the reputation of law enforcement agencies in the community.<br /><br />Police rarely receive any training that would allow them to rapidly and realistically assess the degree of danger posed by a dog; nor are they routinely informed about or trained to use any of the wide variety of non-lethal tools and techniques available to them as alternatives to shooting. Examples of such alternatives include batons, OC spray, Tasers and chemical capture. Most departments do not have relationships with area animal control agencies, humane societies or SPCAs that could provide training or assistance in responding to calls where dogs are known or suspected to be present. Since more than one-third of American households have a dog, officers are likely to encounter dogs whenever they approach or enter a residence. Although they may encounter truly dangerous dogs in some situations, the majority of dogs they are likely to meet are well-behaved family pets that are legitimately protecting their homes and families from intruders.<br /><br /><b>ASPCA Position </b><br />The ASPCA believes that most instances of police shootings of dogs are avoidable. The Force Continuum concept has been helpful in reducing unnecessary injuries to the public and professionals in encounters with potentially dangerous people. Law enforcement agencies are recognizing that similar benefits can be gained by applying this concept to encounters with potentially dangerous animals.<br /><br />There are many steps that law enforcement agencies can take to prevent the needless killing of dogs and reduce the high risk of injuries to officers and the general public in such instances:<br /><br />- Establish better communication between area law enforcement and animal care and control agencies, including sharing of information about addresses with histories of calls for violent offenses or dangerous animals and establishing procedures for enlisting assistance from these agencies in planning responses to situations where dogs are known or likely to be present<br /><br />- Review existing policies and data on dog shootings and institute administrative review of all such shootings that includes an evaluation of their justification<br /><br />- Provide officers with training in identifying and assessing potentially dangerous dogs, as well as instruction on how to use their existing equipment (e.g. baton, OC spray) more safely and effectively in situations with potentially dangerous dogs<br /><br />- Provide officers with additional up-to-date equipment that can be used as an alternative to lethal force (e.g. catch poles, nets, etc.) and proper training on its use<br /><br />- Enact a Force Continuum policy for encounters with dogs, similar to that for encounters with people, that stipulates an escalating scale of options in which lethal force is considered a last resort<br /><br />When lethal force must be used, officers should be trained how to do so humanely to prevent or quickly end suffering. The following reflects a policy that is currently in use by several agencies:<br /><br />“Police officers shall not discharge their firearms at a dog or other animal except to protect themselves or another person from physical injury and when they have exhausted other reasonable means to eliminate the threat. If a decision is made that the animal must be killed, the officer must make every effort to insure that the discharge of his weapon is done as safely as possible. The officer should also try to kill the animal in a humane way to keep the animal from undue suffering or escape.”<br /><br />http://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statements-on-law-enforcement-response</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-58232879801259467212013-11-26T20:23:00.003-06:002013-11-26T20:23:44.826-06:00Half of intentional shootings by police involve dogs, study says<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Dog shootings by police are mostly avoidable and preventable, say
groups pushing for officers to learn more about animal behavior.<br /> <br /> By Mike Carter<br /> Seattle Times staff reporter<br /> <br /> There has never been a documented case of a dog killing a police officer.<br /> <span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> The same can't be said for police killing dogs.<br /> <br />
Every year, hundreds — if not thousands — of animals, mostly canines,
are killed by police or animal-control officers. According to the
National Canine Research Council, up to half of the intentional
shootings by police involve dogs.<br /> <br /> Sometimes, the animals have
been injured and need to be put out of their misery. Sometimes, they are
vicious and killed for reasons of public or officer safety.<br /> <br />
But mostly, they die tragically and needlessly, victims of
misunderstanding, prejudice or simple convenience, according to
animal-rights and behavior experts.<br /> <br /> Usually, police simply aren't properly trained or don't have the resources to deal with canine encounters, the experts say.<br /> <br /> The Internet is peppered with memorials to family pets gunned down by officers.<br /> <br />
There's Axel, the 18-month-old Labrador therapy dog-in-training shot in
November by an animal-control officer in Charles City, Va., for chasing
a neighbor boy. Bully, Boss and Kahlua, a trio of dogs, were killed in
August by police in Palm Beach, Fla., while officers were trying to
arrest a friend of the dogs' owner. On Nov. 2, police in Middleton,
Ohio, shot and killed a 30-pound pet pig after it reportedly tried to
bite an officer. The pig was on a leash, according to news reports.<br /> <br />
Then there's Rosie, the 4-year-old Newfoundland who was twice shot with
a Taser, chased from her yard and then repeatedly shot by Des Moines
police after a neighbor had reported her loose and was worried she might
get hurt. A federal lawsuit filed by her owners last month, two years
after her death — death that experts say happens much too often and can
easily be avoided — has reopened wounds and stoked public outrage.<br /> <br />
The officers involved were cleared of wrongdoing by the department, and
Rosie's owners, Deirdre and Charles Wright, failed in their attempts to
have them charged criminally.<br /> <br /> "This has got to be a huge
embarrassment for that department. And it was very preventable," said
Donald Cleary, the director of communications for the National Canine
Research Council (NCRC) in Amenia, N.Y., which studies human-canine
relations.<br /> <br /> "It's like they just ran out of ideas."<br /> <br /> Even the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) has recognized the issue.<br /> <br />
Last year, the DOJ published a 46-page police training and information
guide, "The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters," through
its Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The report,
funded by a grant from the NCRC and developed by the University of
Illinois Center for Public Safety and Justice, aims to dispel myths
about dogs and dog bites and provide resources to help police develop
nonlethal strategies for officer-dog encounters.<br /> <br /> The report
followed a 2010 position paper by the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which concluded that "most instances
of police shooting dogs are avoidable" and urged departments to train
officers to better understand dog behavior and to use the minimum force
necessary to deal with it.<br /> <br /> The COPS report provides just that
sort of useful information to street officers, said Cleary, who was one
of its co-authors. For example, it contains diagrams to help officers
assess the threat posed by a dog based on its "posture, vocalizations
and facial expressions," and provides defensive options short of deadly
force to avoid encounters with agitated, frightened or aggressive
animals.<br /> <br /> "They are very preventable, and most wouldn't happen if police knew just a little bit more about dogs," he said.<br /> <br />
COPS Director Bernard Melekian, a former Pasadena, Calif., police chief
and K-9 officer, wrote in a preface to the report that the number of
dogs killed by law enforcement is on the increase and that "officers
must advance beyond automatically using their weapons when encountered
by a dog."<br /> <br /> The report seeks to dispel myths about dogs and dog
bites. For instance, despite reports of a "dog-bite epidemic," the
number of dog bites has decreased over the past 30 years while canine
populations have steadily grown, the report says. In New York City, for
example, there were 37,000 reports of dog bites in 1971. In 2009, the
number was fewer than 3,600.<br /> <br /> At the same time, the majority of
police-involved shootings involve animals, mostly dogs. While national
numbers are not available, the report contends that statistics kept by
cities that track such incidents bear this out.<br /> <br /> For example,
the report says that nearly three-quarters of the police shootings in
Milwaukee, Wis., from 2000 to 2002 involved dogs. Information provided
by a number of California law-enforcement agencies, including the Los
Angeles Police Department, indicate at least half of the intentional
discharges of firearms by police between 2000 and 2005 involved animals,
the report says.<br /> <br /> Some cities have seen improvements as they've
moved toward integrating animal-control and law-enforcement agencies.
Last year in New York City, 43 dogs were shot in 36 different incidents,
according to the NYPD's 2011 Firearms Discharge Report, which contains a
section titled "Animal Attack."<br /> <br /> It noted that NYPD officers
responded to 28,000 calls for service involving dogs or other animals
during the year. Five officers and two civilians were bitten during the
shooting incidents, the report says.<br /> <br /> The Seattle Police
Department requires a Firearms Review Board to convene and formally
review any incident involving an officer shooting at a person. However,
it allows for a less stringent "summary review" of incidents involving
dogs, said Becky Roe, a Seattle attorney and the civilian auditor of the
SPD's Firearms Review Board.<br /> <br /> Roe said she has not seen a
Firearms Review Board report involving a dog shooting in the six years
she's held the job, but that she has no information about the summary
reviews. Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said he had no information about dog
shootings outside the shooting-review process.<br /> <br /> King County
sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said it has been difficult for her office to
track shootings involving animals, since up until just recently,
deputies were not required to write a separate report about such
incidents. She said all of the shootings are reviewed by command staff.<br /> <br /> "It certainly happens," she said.<br /> <br />
As witnessed by the outrage directed at the Des Moines Police
Department over the death of Rosie, few incidents can undermine public
confidence in a police department faster than the questionable shooting
of someone's pet, Cleary said.<br /> <br /> "It's not about animal rights.
And nobody is questioning an officer's right to protect himself or the
public," Cleary said. "But police need to know, to really understand, is
that it just doesn't look good."<br /> <br /> And it can be expensive.
While dogs do not have civil rights, their owners do, and courts have
delivered some significant verdicts over the death of a pet.<br /> <br /> In
perhaps the most noteworthy case, the California cities of San Jose,
Gilroy and Santa Clara paid a total of $1.8 million to the families of
two Hells Angels whose three pet dogs were shot by police serving a
search warrant in a homicide investigation.<br /> <br /> North Carolina last
year paid a family $77,000 and then passed a law requiring state
troopers to receive training in dog behavior after an officer shot
Patton, a pit-bull mix that bounded out of a car with a wagging tail
after a trooper had pulled the family over on a mistaken report of a
robbery. The incident was captured on videotape.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019809359_rosie02m.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019809359_rosie02m.html</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-4901013413634214552013-11-26T20:22:00.003-06:002013-11-26T20:22:42.329-06:00Hells Angels awarded $990,000 after 3 guard dogs were shot and killed during the execution of a warrant by San Jose Police.<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><span class="userContent"><span class="userContent">Hells Angels Motorcycle Club v. City of San Jose <br /> <br /> Hells Angels awarded $990,000 after 3 guard dogs were shot and killed during the execution of a warrant by San Jose Police.<br /> <br /> "During the case the Ninth Circuit also acknowledged: <br /> (a) We have recognized that dogs are more than just a personal effect. <span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> (b) “The emotional attachment to a family’s dog is not comparable to a possessory interest in furniture.”<br /> <br />
Most important, both entry teams had a week to plan the execution of
the entry. At the Souza residence, despite advance knowledge of the
presence of two guard dogs, the full extent of the plan to protect the
entry team from the dogs was to either “isolate” or shoot the dogs. The
officers had no specific plan for isolating the dogs."<br /> <br />
Personally, I think that SWAT should always take Animal Control with
them due to the high possibility that guard dogs will be present when
executing a Raid. In this case they actually had prior visual
confirmation of the threat, not just a high probability.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southbayriders.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D31721&h=3AQElJkIs&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31721</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.animallaw.info%2Fcases%2Fcausfd402f3d962.htm&h=1AQGrp4rr&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.animallaw.info/cases/causfd402f3d962.htm</a></span></span> </span></span></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-42976411515938376232013-11-26T20:20:00.001-06:002013-11-26T20:20:08.090-06:00Dogs Shot By Cops: Companion Animals and Law Enforcement<h1 class="title">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When a police officer kills someone’s
companion animal, it deeply affects the animal’s human family, as well
as the officer, the neighborhood, and the community. This sad situation
is all too common and ALDF fields many calls asking for advice.
Unfortunately, there is rarely a clear path to justice.
</span></span></span></h1>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><table cellpadding="5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px dotted #000000; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border: 0px dotted rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="cop shot dog" src="http://aldf.org/img/original/cop-shot-dog-image-by-abjam77.jpg" /></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 0px dotted #000000;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Law enforcement officers have a tough job, but<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> are not above the law.</span> (Photo by Abjam77)</span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let’s start with the law. Companion animals are treated by the courts
as personal “property.” When an animal is harmed, a lawsuit must show
damage to the <em>owner. </em>Incredibly, civil lawsuits must
demonstrate violation of the owner’s constitutional rights (known as a
Section 1983 case). In tort cases, damages may be measured by the
“market value” or purchase price of the animal, regardless of the
egregious harm done to the animals and the emotional damage done to
their human companions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">States including Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and New
York have demonstrated openness to cases that request relief beyond an
animal’s market value. Emotional distress of the owner, loss of
companionship, and intrinsic value may be considered in some cases. In
Texas, the State Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case filed for
“sentimental value” of a companion animal. Similarly, a Tennessee
statute allows suits for emotional distress damages due to the wrongful
death of a companion animal; Tennessee’s General Patton Act, as a result
of the infamous <a href="http://aldf.org/downloads/92_animalsadvocatespring03.pdf">Smoak’s case</a>, mandates training in animal behavior for law enforcement officers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why would an officer shoot a dog? </span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Perceived Threat – </strong>The main reason an officer makes
the decision to shoot an animal is due to a perceived threat from that
animal. People can protect their dogs by protecting officers. Follow all
leash laws, and keep dogs away from law enforcement during neighborhood
searches and 9-1-1 calls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Actual Threat – </strong>Some animals have been bred and
trained as weapons by their handlers and/or have been amidst an attack
on a person or animal when the officer discharges his weapon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Unleashed dog</strong> – An unleashed dog is a common factor
in these tragedies, whether at play or being protective. Keep your dog
out of harm’s way to reduce the heartbreak for everyone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Wrong Address – </strong>When officers respond to a domestic
disturbance, the tense situation creates the opportunity for errors. In
some cases an officer may have the wrong address. Although it is
difficult for people in their home to avoid these situations, keeping
dogs away from strangers can help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Miscommunication – </strong>In many cases, an officer may
shoot a dog in a victim’s home, even while responding to a call from
that victim. These instances justify better training and clarity on use
of force procedure for all involved. Citizens would be wise to crate
animals after putting in any call to the police.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Protective Dog – </strong>Sometimes an owner’s companion
animal may simply be barking or acting protectively, as they are
inclined to do when they perceive threat. Again, this is an area which
demands better officer training and non-lethal conflict resolution in
working with animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Dangerous Breed – </strong>Sometimes dogs are killed because
they appear to be of a dangerous breed. If your dog is perceived as a
dangerous breed, such as a Pit bull or Rottweiler, the risk factor to
officers and your dog increases exponentially. Take extra precaution to
properly restrain and crate your animal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Poor Planning </strong>- Internal planning, prior to
execution of search warrants, must include non-lethal conflict
resolution with any animals that may be encountered on the property.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><table cellpadding="5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px dotted #000000; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: 0px dotted #000000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="cop shot dog, not when dog is on leash" src="http://aldf.org/img/original/dog-on-leash-for-cop-shot-dog-resource-by-Put-That-Down.jpg" /></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 0px dotted #000000;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Dogs o<span style="font-size: xx-small;">n leash are safer than dogs running free. </span>(Photo by Put That Down)</span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What You Can Do</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If your dog has been injured or killed, state laws can determine
whether the killing of the animal was legally justified. In federal
court, constitutional issues may arise regarding a deprivation of rights
claim. An issue called “<a href="http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovuspoliceshootingpets.htm">qualified immunity</a>” may also factor into liability for the shooting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Contact a legal representative</strong><strong></strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Collect evidence</strong></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If possible, before moving your dog, take photographs in the exact position of injury.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Take your dog to a veterinarian to measure damages and/or perform a “necropsy.”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Get names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the incident.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If time permits, obtain statements from witnesses about what they saw.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Contact law enforcement</strong></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If the officer has discharged their weapon there will most likely be an investigation.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Check state and federal laws</strong></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong></strong>Fourth Amendment laws prohibit unlawful seizure of personal property–even if the officer was acting according to a warrant.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">State provisions, however, may justify the officer’s behavior. Some
states allow the shooting of unleashed or unlicensed animals, dangerous
animals, and animals in capture–even on personal property.<strong></strong></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Determine liability</strong></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong></strong>It is extremely difficult to sue an agency, as they
will generally qualify for immunity. Exceptions may come when the
policy supported by the agency is questionable regarding an individual’s
constitutional rights.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is possible to defeat an officer’s qualified immunity if that
officer has knowingly violated an individual’s constitutional rights. In
some cases, qualified immunity is overridden by a citizen’s right to be
safe & secure on their own property. The facts in individual cases
will determine whether the officer acted unreasonably, and whether that
officer knowingly violated a companion animal’s owner’s rights.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><h2>
<table align="right" cellpadding="5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px dotted #000000; height: 207px; width: 220px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: 0px dotted #000000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Dog shot by cops" src="http://aldf.org/img/original/dog-by-Hillary-Goetzinger-Justice-for-Scout-article-image.jpg" /></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 0px dotted #000000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Scout was shot by police in 2012. (Photo by Hillary Goetzinger,<br />
Justice for Scout)</span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Protecting Your Pup</span><br />
</h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Crate your dog before contacting law enforcement or if law enforcement is in the area.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keep your dog away from law enforcement during times of strife (such as a 9-1-1 call).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Securely fix all fences, gates, and screens to prevent your dog from
escaping. Overly protective dogs have often escaped through screens,
gates, or holes in fences.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do not let your dog roam unleashed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do not leave your dog outside unattended. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Steps Law Enforcement Can Take</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Provide improved training to officers about non-lethal options for handling dogs and understanding dog behavior.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use alternative equipment such as: catch-poles, nets, batons,
Tasers. In fact, a powder based (rather than CO2) fire extinguisher is
an excellent non-lethal alternative to a gun.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Contact animal control before proceeding into a situation with an unleashed dog.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reduce cases of wrong addresses and miscommunication–between officers, homeowners, and animal control.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use interagency communication to establish protocol and procedure.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Avoid entering private property without warning residents unless necessary.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Establish clear departmental procedures with a scale of options to
exhaust before discharging a weapon–procedures that reduce or eliminate
the automatic shooting of an animal as a response to tense situations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Improve leadership, and internal and external follow-up, on deadly force incidents.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reduce officer fear and improve officer confidence and animal-handling reactions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Provide officers with training in humane use of force to put an
animal down with the least amount of suffering possible when lethal
force absolutely must be used.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Demand that their state’s police training academy provide training
to new officers on all non-lethal options in assessing canine behavior
and dealing with pets while on duty.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Additional Resources</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michigan State University’s Animal Legal & Historical Center has <a href="http://bit.ly/11SgXjt" target="_blank" title="Legal guide for when a cop shot your dog.">a comprehensive legal guide</a> (Pamela Roudebush).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The U.S. Department of Justice also has a resource on <a href="http://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/ResourceDetail.aspx?RID=612" target="_blank" title="cops shooting dogs">cops shooting dogs</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hells Angels v. City of San Jose (<a href="http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1444930.html" target="_blank" title="cops shot dog">officers who shot dogs required to pay damages on Section 1983 claims</a>).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Villos v. Eyre <a href="http://www.animallaw.info/cases/causfd2008wl4694917.htm" target="_blank" title="Cops shot dog">(officers who shot a dog were denied qualified immunity claims</a>).</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information, please see ALDF’s resources: <a href="http://aldf.org/article.php?id=241">Wrongful Death or Injury of an Animal</a> guide, <a href="http://aldf.org/article.php?id=244">Damages for Death or Injury of an Animal</a>, and our resource on coping with <a href="http://aldf.org/article.php?id=288">Grief and Mourning</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://aldf.org/resources/when-your-companion-animal-has-been-harmed/dogs-shot-by-cops-companion-animals-and-law-enforcement/ </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-10718987924577643092013-11-26T20:13:00.004-06:002013-11-26T20:13:58.599-06:00Dogs, Police, and Use of Force-part 2 of 4<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"> by Jim W. Crosby<br /> <br />
"As I mentioned last time I have broken up my posts on conflicts
between Police Officers and dogs into three parts. Last time we talked
about a very limited set of circumstances, <span class="text_exposed_show">primarily
high-risk raids where there are potentially-or for sure-armed bad guys
that probably have not been the most responsible dog owners. These cases
are rare, and no one should think that procedures used in these radical
situations to protect human lives should be the norm in day to day
encounters. They are worst case scenarios. I'm not going to dissect all
the potential causes of such actions (Are all drug dealers really
violent? Is the "war on drugs" effective?) as these questions are far
bigger than this column and deserve long, hard discussion.<br /> <br /> That
post was an overview of the minority of cases. Most of the negative
encounters we hear about, most of the cases involving use of deadly
force by Law Enforcement these days, are centered around much lower
risk, day in and day out encounters. Here is where positive
intervention, training, and prevention strategies can make the most
difference.<br /> <br /> Public Safety and Low Risk Encounters are probably
the most common cases where Police Officers and pets come into conflict.
Let's break these two down into their components first.<br /> <br /> Public
Safety cases are, obviously, cases where the Police have been called
because someone sees an animal, most likely a dog, and most likely
running at large, that they perceive is a threat to themselves or
others. There are two keys here that we need to note: the animal is at
large and the reporting person perceives the animal to be at risk.<br /> <br />
Low Risk Encounters are those where Police Officers come across dogs in
the course of doing something else. These animals are most often not at
large but are on their own property. There is no reporting person
here-the Officer is the person directly involved in the contact-and the
Officer is the one directly perceiving the dog's behavior.<br /> <br /> Now,
there are significant differences in the two kinds of cases, but there
are several commonalities that we need to recognize. The first common
quantity is this: WHY ARE YOU THERE? What is the reason the officer is
coming in contact with the dog, and what is the ultimate purpose of the
contact?<br /> <br /> In Public Safety encounters it seems to be pretty
clear-the officer has been called to "protect the public". But protect
who from exactly what? Is it to keep a charging dog from ravaging a
schoolyard of kindergarten students, or is the goal a bit fuzzy? Is this
a frightened dog trying to get home? Is this an injured dog that is
reacting from the pain and fear of being hit by a car? Sure, the dog is
at large-and that is a human failure. The human(s) responsible for the
dog being uncontrolled should be held responsible for their actions-or
lack of action. But is the dog really a threat-and as perceived by whom?
Perhaps the goal here is really to stop the dog from running at large,
and in doing so keep the public, and the dog safe.<br /> <br /> Let's set
the stage with an example. A police officer is dispatched to a dog
running at large that is alleged to be "vicious". The officer gets on
scene and indeed sees a dog running loose. Say it's even a big dog. The
complainant comes up and tells the officer "The dog charged at me! Get
rid of it!" The person continues to make excited statements that the dog
is a danger, might bite someone, could kill all the children in the
town...you get the picture.<br /> <br /> So our faithful officer chases
after the dog. The dog gets backed up against a corner. The officer
approaches and the dog growls, baring its teeth. The officer now
perceives a threat to himself, and with the excited allegations of the
original complainant, draws his weapon, carefully checks for a safe
backdrop, and when the dog again lunges towards him he fires once and
kills the dog.<br /> <br /> Simple, right? Wrong. Lets look at this from the dog's point of view.<br /> <br />
The dog is a pet, licensed and tagged, that has escaped from his back
yard because his owners have failed to secure the gate-or maybe the
cable TV guy left it ajar. The dog follows his nose, meanders around the
neighborhood, and looses track of where he is. He comes around a corner
and sees something attractive (Squirrel!) and runs for it.
Unfortunately, this dog has no experience with traffic and gets clipped
by a car going past. The dog is now mildly hurt and frightened. He runs
blindly. Running he rounds a corner and is confronted by a stranger (our
trusty complainant). The dog startles, barks, and backs off from the
scary person. Our complainant, not an experienced dog person, interprets
the dog's sudden approach and bark as a "vicious attack" and calls it
in.<br /> <br /> The officer gets there, spots the dog, and gives chase. Now
the dog is being chased by a new stranger, probably yelling, and
freaking him out. So he runs, and tries to find-refuge, home, anywhere
but where he is. The officer follows and the dog winds up cornered by
this stranger. So the dog does the only thing he is hardwired to do-he
backs up and gives clear signals in dog terms "You are scaring me! I am
hurt and want to go home! Back off! I don't want to fight but I will if
you push me!" The officer pushes forward again and the dog lunges,
looking for a way out. He just wants to escape to safety and go home. A
shot is fired and the dog is dead.<br /> <br /> You may say "Well, that is
all good but you set this up to make the cop the bad guy." Sorry, but
no. This sort of conflict happens all of the time. And I am not saying
the police officer was bad-he just didn't see the situation the same way
the dog did. He probably didn't have the training to recognize the
signals the dog was giving, and didn't have enough knowledge of dog
behavior to understand what was really happening. He saw exactly what he
had been prepared-even briefly-by the complainant to see.<br /> <br /> This
is a situation that we, as police officers, have to face every day with
human subjects. We are told by one party that the other person is bad,
evil, violent, etc. They want us to proceed on their information, and
often that information is deliberately slanted to favor their position.
We are trained extensively to be cautious of this-we are told "There are
three sides to every case: person 1's story, person 2's story, and the
truth."<br /> <br /> In alleged public safety conflicts we have to bear the
same in mind. We don't know if our complainant was bitten badly as a
child and has emotional aftereffects of that incident. The person may
just not like dogs. The person may have what they feel are valid
concerns because they may not have extensive experience with dogs. Or
the dog may in fact be nasty.<br /> <br /> But we have to return to the
question: why is the officer there? To protect the public, right? So
what strategies are available, and how many did the officer try before
proceeding to lethal force?<br /> <br /> In this case there were numerous
possibilities, none of which the officer took advantage of. Protecting
others means isolating the danger from potential victims, in this case
the loose dog. How can we do that?<br /> <br /> First, use situational
awareness. What is that? Look around. Pay attention to details. In this
sort of case, what does the dog look like? Is he relatively clean? Does
he have a collar and tags? Maybe this is a pet rather than a long-term
stray. If so, the dog is likely to have a positive relationship with at
least some people. Try letting the conflict de-escalate. If the dog is
in an area where there is room to back off, do so. Stop chasing. Slow
down. There is no hurry.<br /> <br /> If the dog looks like a pet, try
getting the dog to come up. Relax your posture, present a less
threatening demeanor, and for crying out loud STOP YELLING.<br /> <br />
Pets often like riding in the car. If you are driving a patrol car you
likely have a cage in the back. Try opening the back door and then get
away from the car to let the dog have a clear path to the open door. Try
saying "Let's go for a ride!" Lots of dogs love rides. Once the dog is
in the back seat the conflict is over-you now have a controlled
situation where you-or Animal Control, or a Vet, or even the owner, can
safely remove the dog.<br /> <br /> Try an open can of dog food to attract,
and calm the dog. Even better a can of cat food. Dogs love cat food.
Stinky, nasty cat food. Toss the food near the dog to make friends.
Maybe even into your car. Just remember to get the little cans with the
pull tabs on top-this is no time to look for a can opener.<br /> <br /> If
the dog is backed into an enclosed area, use that to your advantage.
Pull you car across the opening (and then maybe open the back door). Is
there a sidewalk table, or maybe one of those sign twirlers? Temporarily
appropriate the table or sign to contain the dog, keeping only minimum
pressure on him. Improvise with what you have. Let the dog retreat and
calm down. Is the dog in front of an open garage? THEN CLOSE THE GARAGE
DOOR! Even if the dog doesn't live there you have him contained. You
can then safely contact the property owner or resident at your leisure.
If the dog damages something in the garage, so what? Dog owners are
responsible, in most jurisdictions, for any damage their dog causes. The
report for chewing up someone's bicycle is a lot easier than the
paperwork-and extended drama-of using deadly force.<br /> <br /> Sure,
someone is always going to come up with a "But I did that and it didn't
work..." There's always one in every crowd. And honestly, every
situation is different, and I can't give "What if" responses for
everything.<br /> <br /> But I can give you solid strategies to apply across the board:<br /> <br />
1) Try and look at what is really happening-don't proceed with only one
account of the situation. Pay attention-use your eyes and ears-use
situational awareness.<br /> 2) Try and understand from the dog's point of
view what he may be seeing and use that in your favor. Information is
strength. Try and reduce the stress the dog may be feeling and allow him
to deescalate his responses to threats he perceives.<br /> 3) Remember
the mantra of the military special units: IMPROVISE, ADAPT, OVERCOME.
You probably don't have access to the perfect tools when you need them,
but you do have access to the most important tool you can have-your
brain. Use it.<br /> 4) Remember why you are there. Your assignment is
probably not search and destroy. Your job is to contain the dog while
keeping others safe. Look to handle the real problem. Remember you are
there to drain the swamp.<br /> 5) Work with your Animal Control or
shelter personnel. Your immediate job is containment and separation of
the public and the dog. Let Animal Control deal with the capture. That
is what they are trained to do, and they honestly probably do it better
than you. Most Animal Control Officer are unarmed, so they have learned
ways to take in far more difficult animals in more circumstances without
resorting to deadly force. Let them do their jobs.<br /> <br /> You may
have noticed I changed the title of this to part 2 of 4 instead of 3.
This has run longer than I expected, so I am going to break here. I'll
be back-quicker this time-with Low Risk Encounters next time."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://canineaggression.blogspot.com/2013/02/dogs-police-and-use-of-force-part-2-of-4.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://canineaggression.blogspot.com/2013/02/dogs-police-and-use-of-force-part-2-of-4.html</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-84192883620771400062013-11-26T20:12:00.005-06:002013-11-26T20:12:49.741-06:00Dogs, Police, and Use of Force-Part 1 of 3<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">It seems that lately I can't open my inbox without a note of one kind
or another about a Police Officer using deadly force against a dog.
Loose dogs, pet dogs, big dogs, little dogs-dogs charging, barking,
running away or allegedly simply standing there. Is this on the rise? Is
there an epidemic of the use of deadly force against pets? I am not
convinced either way-I suspect that is may be a result of the speed of,
and breadth by wh<span class="text_exposed_show">ich these stories are
spread due to social media and citizen journalists, bypassing mainstream
avenues-but the jury is still out. The problem is, these cases are
gaining a great amount of attention, not just here in the US but across a
surprisingly global audience. So I want to take a few minutes of your
time and talk about the issue, the perceptions, and possible solutions
to the perceived problem.<br /> <br /> First off: full disclosure time. I am
a retired Police Lieutenant. I served 22 years with the Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville, Florida. I never shot a dog during my
career. I am biased-in most cases I will go out of my way to defend a
brother Officer, even if I may have personal misgivings that the
incident could have been handled better. I understand the stresses, the
pressure, and the need for immediate decision making in critical
incidents. I also have no patience for bad cops. I am not here to
criticize, or defend anyone. I want to look at contacts between officers
and pets and try to get both the pets and the officers home in one,
safe package.<br /> <br /> With that out of the way let's look at the
problem. How do we reduce conflict between dogs and Police Officers? In
what situations are these conflicts occurring, and what tools do we have
to reduce these incidents? Where does responsibility lie?<br /> <br />
There are several general categories of contact between police and dogs
that seem to encompass most of the situations. I am going to break them
into groups: High-Risk encounters; Emergency responses; Public Safety
encounters; Low Risk encounters; Seizures; and Nuisance encounters.<br /> <br />
High-Risk encounters are the easiest to classify, and perhaps the
clearest of the bunch for us to respond to. These are the drug and
violent crime raids. SWAT or another unit is making a fast, forcible
entry into dangerous territory. The bad guys are likely armed, and
likely have little to lose by resisting. The dogs in these situations
are potential weapons. The officers will likely also be confronted by
humans bearing other weapons, like firearms. The potential for officer
injury or death is high. No one in this situation has the time to
conduct a lengthy negotiation with a hostile animal, even if that animal
is acting aggressively due to mistreatment or fear. Perhaps I am a
speciest, but human safety comes first. That said, a High-Risk situation
is not a free ticket to blast away at any animals present, any more
than it is a free ride to shoot any humans out of hand (we will leave
terrorist encounters out of this equation). There are tools that can be
used to reduce risk from animals that are quick and reasonable.<br /> <br />
The best of those tools is information. No one raids a location without
at least some advance intelligence about the location and the potential
occupants. Pre-raid surveillance should include establishing whether
there are animals present, and whether those animals seem to present a
valid threat. If the intelligence establishes that the bad guy has
trained, aggressive dogs that are little more than four-legged weapons
those dogs are a clear threat. On the other hand, a hound dog that
spends his days hanging out on the front porch, probably not so much.
Either way, the presence of the animals has been noted, and contingency
plans can be put in place. Frankly, if my intelligence said the dogs
were trained to attack I would be more proactive in removing the threat.<br /> <br />
In some cases this degree of information may not be present-yet there
are still indicators. Are there dogs chained up? Can you get past them
without releasing them? Are there less lethal methods, such as OC spray,
that can be rapidly deployed to deter or temporarily disable the dogs
while still allowing the officers to respond safely to the more likely
human threat? Can the entry team, and the suspects, be isolated quickly
and safely from the dogs? Can the dogs simply be taken out of the
equation?<br /> <br /> These are High-Risk situations, and as such there are
clear limits to the amount of time and effort that can be devoted to
animals during entry and securing the scene. But most of the situations
in which animals and Police come into conflict are not High-Risk
encounters.<br /> <br /> Second on my list is Emergency Response. These
cases are where a human is in immediate danger or has been injured and a
dog is "protecting" the victim. These are survival situations. If the
dog is not removed quickly a human may die. These, like High-Risk
encounters, don't give a responding officer much time. Other emergency
responders, like medical services, may be on scene and trying to get to
the victim. These situations are touchy in that the dog is doing what it
is supposed to do-protecting its owner. Less lethal alternatives should
be on the front burner here. The dog doesn't understand that the
strangers are there to help. Time is of the essence, but compassion for
both the human victim and the dog is a clear consideration.<br /> <br /> Of
course if the dog is the source of the injury, or reasonably appears to
be the source of the injury, the game is changed. The dog must be
removed before doing more damage, and the person's injuries addressed.
Even here deadly force is not necessarily the first choice. Depending on
the positioning of the dog and victim, shooting the dog may present a
clear danger to the victim. Disengaging the dog is the first priority,
but sacrificing the victim in the process, or even adding to the
victim's injuries, is not an option. For evidence I personally prefer
the dog in such a case be kept alive if possible, but human safety
reigns supreme. Still, initial disengagement of the dog may better
proceed using less lethal options, if for nothing more than separation
of victim and target for a clear shot, with a safe(r) backdrop.<br /> <br />
One factor to be considered in cases where the dog is the source, or
apparent source, of the injury/threat is physical evidence. A dog
destroyed as a result of a serious or life threatening attack is
evidence, possibly of a crime. We do not casually destroy evidence.
Evidence is what we need to hold a human, often the owner, responsible
for their actions, or lack of action. In the rare case that a dog must
be destroyed on scene for immediate safety, any deadly force (gunshot)
deployed should be to the dog's center of mass-the middle of its body.
Head shots are not ideal-not only will the gunshot likely damage the
dog's jaws, a potentially critical piece of evidence, but the head of a
dog is a difficult target to hit. Imagine firing at a grapefruit
bouncing down the street. Additionally, anyone who has examined the
skull of a large dog will tell you that the skull is a very thick chunk
of bone, with lots of angled surfaces. Even a police duty round may have
trouble penetrating, especially if it hits at an odd angle or the head
is moving away at the moment of impact. In an emergency, just like when
defending against people, body shots are the most reasonable and
reliable.<br /> <br /> I would remind all readers that the purpose of police
use of force, particularly deadly force, is not to "shoot to kill". The
justification for use of deadly force is to remove a credible and
immediate threat-no more. If, for instance, I am confronted by an armed
subject, I am not authorized to "shoot to kill". I am only lawfully
allowed to shoot until the threat is removed. Thus, if I fire once,
miss, and the bad guy drops his weapon (been there) I have to hold my
fire. I can't "finish him off", no matter how much I might want to. The
legal cause is suddenly no longer valid. If I shoot a person once and
they fall and surrender, or can't continue the assault, then the
incident is over. If I shoot again I have violated the law and used
excessive force.<br /> <br /> I would suggest that Officers who have to
deploy lethal force against dogs take the same factors into
consideration-you are shooting to remove the threat. If the first shot
takes the dog down and he is unable to re-engage, the incident is over.
The next proper step is to contact Animal Control or whomever is
responsible for providing, in your jurisdiction, emergency care for a
wounded animal. A decision to "finish him off" or to "euthanize" such an
animal should be left to a Veterinarian and the owner. It is not the
responsibility of the Police to determine the appropriateness of
veterinary care-nor are they trained to do so.<br /> <br /> Next time: Part 2; Public Safety and Low Risk encounters.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://canineaggression.blogspot.com/2013/01/dogs-police-and-use-of-force-part-1-of-3.html#comment-form" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://canineaggression.blogspot.com/2013/01/dogs-police-and-use-of-force-part-1-of-3.html#comment-form</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-85298018774177007122013-11-26T19:49:00.006-06:002013-11-26T19:49:32.157-06:00Law enforcement officers have now officially been warned in a trade publication not to shoot family dogs.<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Law enforcement officers have now officially been warned in a trade publication not to shoot family dogs.</span></span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"> <br />
James P. Gaffney recently wrote an article which appeared in the online
magazine for police personnel called 'Law Enforcement Today'. In his
article he told police officers to expect a lawsuit should they
wrongfully kill a family dog while performing their job as an officer.
Mr. Gaffney is highly qualified in these matters, as he served with a
metro-New York police depa<span class="text_exposed_show">rtment for
over 25 years as a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant and an executive
officer. He also teaches university level criminal justice courses as
an adjunct professor in the NYC area.<br /> <br /> Gaffney wrote that police
officer's need to realize that procedures within the law enforcement
field change from time to time. What was acceptable behavior for an
officer ten years ago may be considered entirely unethical in this
period of time. This includes how the family dog is to be treated.<br /> <br />
More and more family dogs are living as a member of the family. No
longer confined to chains or tethers, most dogs these days enjoy the
luxury of living, eating and sleeping inside with family members. For
those with fenced in yards, this is merely a way to confine family dogs
as they take potty breaks. In the old days, the fence meant safety for
the dog. Unfortunately, that has changed with the new breed of officer,
supposedly serving the public, who has the attitude to shoot the dog
first and ask questions later. The new status quo these days is when an
officer kills a family dog, they have in effect robbed that family of
the years left with what many dog owners consider another "child."<br /> <br />
Police departments nationwide advise their officers to take whatever
measures are necessary to keep themselves safe when facing down a dog.
In most of the dog shootings that take place today, the officer involved
is sorely lacking in both common sense and compassion. Whenever a dog
is seen inside a fence, the first thing an officer should do is to use
the brain (some police officers still have one of these) and remember a
stranger on the property could provoke the dog into barking, snarling,
and yes, even attacking. This does not give the officer a free pass to
shoot the dog before coming onto the property. Especially if the person
living there hasn't committed a felony.<br /> <br /> Police officers are
also cautioned to use objective reasonableness based on the
circumstances at the time they arrive on scene. This means an officer
should think through a situation before it gets out of hand and act
accordingly. If a dog is behind a fence and may pose a danger, it's
common sense not to open the fence. Too many dogs are killed and 20/20
hindsight used to try and explain their actions. Was deadly force REALLY
necessary? Most times the answer is no.<br /> <br /> The Fourth Amendment
has now been used in court to back up this logic. The family dog is now
considered property, which cannot be seized without cause. It gives
people rights against a search and seizure by police without probable
cause. Since a large majority of these cases involve police being at the
wrong address to start with, perhaps a good GPS system would also
prevent many of these tragic shootings.<br /> <br /> An easily understood
explanation of the Fourth Amendment states that the right of the people
to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated. The federal
courts recognize a dog, or canine companion, as an effect. This means an
officer should not shoot a dog coming over to say hello. He should also
refrain from chasing the dog onto another property in order to kill it,
or from shooting the dog as it retreats.<br /> <br /> Laura Scarry is a
Chicago based attorney who represents police officers accused of state
and federal civil rights violations. Last month she spoke at a seminar
for International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association
(ILEETA), where she advised those officer's attending of the family
member status dogs now share in most households.<br /> <br /> The precedent
in place that many dog defender attorneys use is a result of the 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the case of Fuller v Vines, 36 F.3d
65,68 (9th Cir. 1994). In simple language, the officer shooting the dog
constituted a violation of the dog owner's civil rights based on the
part of the Fourth Amendment that deals with search and seizure. At
least three federal circuit court decisions have found an officer guilty
of violating this amendment when the officer killed the family dog.<br /> <br />
To police officers who may be reading this article, in simple language
it means dogs are now considered protected under the Fourth Amendment.
If you shoot a family dog, the family will likely sue you, your police
department and your city. Combine this with the change in perception by
the courts, a guilty verdict is highly likely. A few officer's have been
charged with animal cruelty for acting irresponsibly. Many times this
shows not only a lack of common sense, but also an officer who shows no
compassion while performing his duties.<br /> <br /> This also means a
police department internal investigation may find an officer guilty of a
civil rights violation. With the number of lawsuits being filed, more
and more officer's who take it upon themselves to kill the family dog
will be personally held liable for their actions. Police officers will
likely find themselves under arrest for animal cruelty in the near
future, should they act without very strong cause to kill an innocent
dog.<br /> <br /> Please circulate this article among dog owning friends, as
well as any police personnel who need a bit of training as to how to
treat a family dog while on the dogs property."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/law-enforcement-today-article-warns-police-not-to-kill-family-dogs" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.examiner.com/article/law-enforcement-today-article-warns-police-not-to-kill-family-dogs</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-81772079403267062432013-11-26T19:47:00.004-06:002013-11-26T19:47:26.602-06:00"Harrisonburg Police Officer is Guilty of Animal Cruelty - He shot a dog and beat a cat to death with a nightstick<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span class="userContent">"Harrisonburg Police Officer is Guilty of Animal Cruelty - He shot a dog and beat a cat to death with a nightstick</span></b><br /><span class="userContent"></span><span class="userContent"> <br /> HARRISONBURG, Va -- Sgt. Russell Metcalf is guilty of animal cruelty for shooting and killing a family's dog.<br /> <br />
The incident happened earlier in the spring in the Clover Hill
neighborhood in early April. Metcalf did admit to shooting the dog
almost a month later, in May, when Sheriff's Deputies from Rockingham
County questioned him.<br /> <br /> Metcalf was riding a bike whe<span class="text_exposed_show">n,
he said in court on Thursday, the dog barked at and followed him. He
said he was afraid of the dog biting him and that he tried to get his
pepper spray out of his pocket. Metcalf said because he had trouble
getting pepper spray, he shot the dog with his gun.<br /> <br /> The dog's
owner, Bryan Ware, said he was in his backyard when he heard the
gunshot. Ware said he went to the front of the house to find his dog
dead in the road. He also said his dog, Sadie, was friendly and would
never hurt anyone.<br /> <br /> Metcalf got a 60-day sentence in jail, but
all of those days will be suspended. Metcalf is not allowed to work with
animals while on probation.<br /> <br /> Ware did say that he was satisfied with the outcome of the trial.<br /> <br />
This is the second case of animal cruelty against a Harrisonburg Police
Officer. Another officer was charged with animal cruelty after beating a
cat to death with a nightstick. <br /> That case was later dropped."</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-35468318174422083002013-11-26T19:42:00.000-06:002013-11-26T19:42:04.772-06:00'Proximity to Cop' Is a Capital Offense for Many Dogs<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><b>'Proximity to Cop' Is a Capital Offense for Many Dogs</b><br /> <br /> A. Barton Hinkle|Aug. 29, 2012 1:00 pm<br /> <br />
A few weeks ago in Henrico, Va., 33-year-old Ricky Ellerbe was shot to
death for the $15 he had on his person. This is a horrible thing and no
mi<span class="text_exposed_show">stake. But the story gets more
horrible yet. As The Richmond Times-Dispatch recounted in a news story, a
police officer and a detective went to the man’s home to inform his
relatives—and killed the family dog.<br /> <br /> "They had told me my
brother was dead and I’d come out back to cry on the porch,” LaToya
Ellerbe told the newspaper. “And Tiger must have heard them. He ran into
the front yard and the officer shot him.”<br /> <br /> In recent weeks
another police officer shot Scout, a German Shepherd that got out of its
yard in Prince William, Va. In Austin, Texas, a woman who thought her
house might have been broken into called the authorities. The responding
officer ended up shooting her 8-year-old dog, Papa, who was restrained
in the back yard. Around the same time, an NYPD officer shot a dog that
was barking outside a restaurant in Midtown (that dog lived), Florida
officers shot and killed three dogs in Loxahatchee, and so on. Incidents
such as these are so common at least a couple of Facebook pages track
them: “Mr. Policeman, Don’t Shoot My Dog,” and “Dogs Shot by Police.”<br /> <br />
In most cases, the officer’s department deems the shooting justified,
and the story ends there. Slowly, however, that is changing. Last week a
Harrisonburg, Va., officer was convicted of animal cruelty for shooting
and killing a family pet. A couple of weeks ago the Jones family of
Pembroke Pines, Fla., received a $20,000 settlement in the death of
their family dog, Baxter.<br /> <br /> Now the Franco family of St. Paul,
Minn., is suing the DEA and local authorities over a 2010 episode in
which, as Reason’s Mike Riggs recounts, the police “shot their dog, and
then forced their three handcuffed children to sit near the dead pet
while the officers ransacked the home.” Turns out the cops had the wrong
address – just as they did in a now-famous case involving Cheye Calvo,
the mayor of Berwyn Heights, Md. A SWAT team shot Calvo’s two pet
Labrador retrievers in the course of that wrong-guy drug raid. Two years
later, even after Calvo was cleared, Prince George’s Sheriff Michael
Jackson insisted, “We’d do it again. Tonight.” (Jackson lost his bid for
re-election.)<br /> <br /> Cops do an often nasty job for little pay.
Nobody wants to see an officer get his face ripped off by an aggressive
animal. But as Radley Balko—who first drew attention to the issue three
years ago—wrote in his groundbreaking article, “Dogs in a Deadly
Crossfire”: “If dangerous dogs are so common, one would expect to find
frequent reports of vicious attacks on meter readers, postal workers,
firemen, and delivery workers. But according to a spokesman from the
United States Postal Service, serious dog attacks on mail carriers are
vanishingly rare.”<br /> <br /> Attacks by dogs are vanishingly rare. Attacks on dogs? All too common.<br /> <br />
A few police departments have started training programs to teach
officers how to deal with dogs. That’s an encouraging start. But mere
mechanics will not suffice. After all, most departments have a
mechanical approach in place already: If an officer feels endangered,
then lethal force is justified. The trouble with this approach is
that—as most people intuitively grasp—lethal force is rarely justified,
especially when it is the first resort rather than the last.<br /> <br />
Lethal force is not the first resort in other potentially dangerous
situations. An officer summoned because of a psychotic making threats,
or a child wielding a knife, would not reflexively shoot first—and
certainly not with impunity—even though at that moment there might be
little more hope of reasoning with the individual than there is of
reasoning with a Rottweiler.<br /> <br /> Family pets are not people, but
they are not potted plants, either. They have a certain moral station,
and police departments need guidelines reflecting that. Among other
things, those guidelines should require some degree of proportionality.<br /> <br />
In just-war theory, the principle of proportionality requires that you
do not annihilate 20 million residents of Beijing with a nuclear warhead
because a Chinese fighter jet violated U.S. airspace. Regarding the
subject at hand, proportionality would require that an officer not
riddle a Welsh corgi with half-a-dozen .40-caliber rounds from a Glock
because it barked.<br /> <br /> Pessimistically speaking, a few more
lawsuits might be needed before pets are no longer killed with impunity.
The burned hand teaches best, as they say. But let’s hope public
pressure is sufficient to bring about a change.<br /> <br /> Pressure will
have to be brought to bear one way or another. Otherwise, to paraphrase
former Sheriff Jackson, they’ll do it again. Tonight.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://reason.com/archives/2012/08/29/proximity-to-cop-is-a-capital-offense-fo" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://reason.com/archives/2012/08/29/proximity-to-cop-is-a-capital-offense-fo</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-4389601956726151642013-11-26T19:40:00.004-06:002013-11-26T19:40:54.847-06:00Bad dog! When should you shoot a canine?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><b>Bad dog! When should you shoot a canine?</b><br /> <br />
How many times have you withdrawn your firearm, trained it on a human
subject, and pressed the trigger? How many times have you had to
withdraw your firearm, train it on some four-legged creature r<span class="text_exposed_show">unning
amok in your jurisdiction, and put the beast down? For many cops, the
answer to that first question is either “none” or “one” or some other
very low number. For many cops — depending on where you work — the
answer to that second question can be considerably higher.<br /> <br /> An
Iraqi police officer takes aim before shooting a stray dog in the
Mansour neighborhood of Baghdad. Obviously, this would not happen in the
United States, but sadly, a great many canines are killed each year by
officers who simply have not been given the training or understanding
they need to avoid disposing of a dog. (AP Photo)<br /> <br /> Now, I’m not
talking about what my friend and colleague Dick Fairburn calls the
“Noah’s Ark Massacre” which took place in Ohio last month — although I
have asked him to write a serious column addressing the issue as a
result of a humorous conversation we’d had on the subject. Nor am I
talking about events like the one in which San Francisco cops ended the
Christmas Day 2006 rampage of a 243-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana,
or the one this past weekend in which officers felled two abattoir-bound
bovines in the Canadian community of Masson-Angers, or the one reported
just today in which an unidentified Douglas County (Calif.) sheriff’s
deputy accidentally shot a black bear with a live round rather than a
rubber bullet.<br /> <br /> Sure, these things happen — and, in fact,
clearly happened — but the breed of animal most commonly in an officer’s
sights is a canine. Yes, man’s best friend can be a cop’s worst
headache.<br /> <br /> Late last week I had occasion to connect with a
gentleman named Troy Kechely, who has authored a very interesting book
entitled Management of Aggressive Canines for Law Enforcement. Having
reviewed some of the pages of his work, and discussed some of its
concepts with him, I’m eager to share just one of the “tips” I
discovered.<br /> <br /> Read a dog as you would a human, because that dog is definitely reading you!<br />
Understand that dogs are highly communicative, and that they not only
communicate through their own body language — through movement and
positioning of the head (eyes, mouth, ears), back, legs, and literally
all the way to the tail — but they are also very perceptive about the
gestural movement and physical stance of humans. Furthermore, says
Kechely, a canine’s reading of you incorporates a number of other senses
in addition to sight.<br /> <br /> That rule of human communication “it’s
not what you say, it’s how you say it” applies very well during
interaction with a potentially aggressive canine. While it’s estimated
that dogs only “understand” a little over a dozen words, they are finely
attuned to tone of voice, so the tone with which you speak can have a
significant effect on a dog.<br /> <br /> “Interestingly, human tones convey
many of the same meanings or intent as with dogs,” writes Kechely. “Low
tones in the canine world typically denote aggression, correction and
dominance behavior, whereas high tones denote play — excited, friendly
behavior. But also bear in mind that high tones also denote injured prey
and can trigger or amplify prey aggression at the wrong time.”<br /> <br />
Finally, we all know that dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and
that humans tend to emit a unique odor when experiencing fear... so
yeah, they can smell your fear.<br /> <br /> Down the road, I’ll share some excellent ideas Kechely has on topics such as:<br /> <br /> • Observing safety zones when dealing with dogs at traffic stops<br /> • Mitigating the risks to officers (and dogs) during SWAT entries<br /> • Responding with appropriate medical care when you’ve been bit<br /> <br />
For the time being, please add your own ideas on this subject in the
comments area below. Perhaps together we can amass a catalog of concepts
to ensure that the number of dogs put down by police officers is
limited to those animals which truly are a threat.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/tips/4563229-Bad-dog-When-should-you-shoot-a-canine/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/tips/4563229-Bad-dog-When-should-you-shoot-a-canine/</a></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-44315516740390600602013-11-23T17:17:00.002-06:002013-11-23T17:17:19.236-06:00Cop vs. Dog<br />
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 18.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://reason.com/blog/2010/06/22/cop-vs-dog"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cop vs. Dog</span></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://reason.com/people/radley-balko/all">Radley Balko</a> | June 22,
2010</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Last July
<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-19/dogs-in-a-deadly-crossfire/full/">I
wrote a piece for <span style="font-style: italic;">The Daily Beast</span></a> on
the continuing cops-shooting-dogs problem. <b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">While it's difficult to say just how often this happens
(police departments tend to be less than forthcoming with the data), it's often
enough to produce a regular stream of news stories. What I did discover while
reporting that piece is that very few police departments provide training for
their officers on how to deal with dogs</span></span></b>, something I found astonishing
given how often your typical cop is likely to come into contact with one. <b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">By contrast, a U.S. Postal
Service spokesman told me all of their employees get annual training on
interaction with dogs. Probably not coincidentally, he also said serious dog
attacks on postal workers are vanishingly rare. The other problem is that there's
rarely any accountability for these shootings. If a police officer says he felt
threatened by the dog, that's usually enough to justify the shoot, even if the
dog was </span><a href="http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/danville_family_grieves_after_they_say_dog_is_shot/11650/"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">a miniature Dachshund</span></a><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">, or a </span><a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2008/10/15/976401/haltom-city-officer-cleared-in.html"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">Jack Russell Terrier</span></a><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">.</span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Three
cases of cop-on-canine violence in the news this week illustrate these
problems. The first involves the disturbing video below, in which police
officers in Lagrange, Missouri shoot a chained American Bulldog. A few points.
First, the dog obviously poses no immediate threat to anyone. It's chained.
Until the officer starts chasing it with a restraining pole, the dog is calmly
lying on the ground. Second, even if you take the neighbor's complaint and the
police report at face value, the dog never actually bit anyone. The complaint
was that it growled. All dogs growl. If the dog has come off its property to
threaten neighbors, the solution is to hold the owner accountable, not to
execute the dog. Third, this dog is not a "pit bull," as police
claim. It's an American Bulldog, which shares few characteristics with what are
commonly called pit bulls, save perhaps for some physical resemblance. <span style="background: yellow; color: #c00000; font-weight: bold; mso-highlight: yellow;">(The
police definition of "pit bull" often </span><a href="http://www.popehat.com/2010/03/23/the-american-kennel-club-has-no-breed-standard-for-pit-bulls/"><span style="background: yellow; color: #c00000; font-weight: bold; mso-highlight: yellow;">seems
to be</span></a><span style="background: yellow; color: #c00000; font-weight: bold; mso-highlight: yellow;"> "any dog we shot.")</span> Finally, even if
this <span style="font-style: italic;">were</span> an aggressive dog, the
shooting is outrageous. The animal was restrained and calm for most of the
video. The police had ample opportunity to call animal control or a vet to
subdue it.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
The
officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing. And the owner <a href="http://www.hannibal.net/news/x1600620381/LaGrange-dog-owner-vows-to-fight-for-law-changes">has
been cited and fined</a>.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2010/06/18/news/national/doc4c1aecf2ba8c8314550205.txt">In
the second case</a>, police in Washington, D.C. shot eight rounds at a dog
belonging to 62-year-old Marietta Robinson. The dog was killed. Police had a
search warrant naming Robinson's grandson. Robinson says the man hasn't lived
in her home for years. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Robinson
says she asked if she could put the dog in the bathroom during the search. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
They
allowed that. Then they opened the door and shot the dog anyway. (Hat tip to
Patrick at Popehat for this story, who also has <a href="http://www.popehat.com/2010/06/21/yet-who-would-have-thought-the-old-dog-to-have-so-much-blood-in-him/">some
excellent commentary</a>.)</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Finally,
to illustrate the point that opening fire even on actually agressive dogs is a
dangerous way of subduing them, <a href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20100618_Philly_cop_wounded_when_dog_attacks_in_East_Germantown.html#axzz0rbvqSp1c">there's
this story</a> from Philadelphia:</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
A Philadelphia police officer was shot in a leg Thursday
morning when members of a team serving a narcotics warrant in East Germantown
opened fire on an attacking dog, authorities said.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
Cpl. Lawrence McKenny was treated at Albert Einstein Medical
Center and released.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
It was not clear whether McKenny, 38, was hit with a bullet
fired by another officer or from his own gun, department spokesman Lt. Frank
Vanore said.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
The officers were serving a warrant in the 5700 block of
Lambert Street about 9:45 a.m. when a pit bull attacked them from behind. Both
officers turned and fired, killing the dog, Vanore said.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
The point
here is not that all cops are trigger-happy dog murderers. But there does seem
to be an attitude that an officer is justified putting a few bullets into a dog
if he feels even the slightest bit of discomfort around the animal. Mere fear
of a bite, not even an actual bite, is justification for gunfire. Subsequent
complaints about dog killings are usually dismissed with little consideration.
The lack of training is especially troubling. A spokesman for the Humane
Society told me last year that his organization offers free training to any
police department that requests it. He could only think of a few that had taken
advantage of the offer.<br />
<br />
SOURCE:<br />
http://reason.com/blog/2010/06/22/cop-vs-dog</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-85027148385940160892013-11-23T17:14:00.003-06:002013-11-23T17:14:53.830-06:00Cop-On-Canine Violence<br />
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 18.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2010/06/coponcanine-violence.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cop-On-Canine Violence</span></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Balko's
campaign against cops shooting dogs <a href="http://reason.com/blog/2010/06/22/cop-vs-dog">continues</a>:</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin-left: .375in; margin: 0in;">
The point here is not that all cops are trigger-happy dog
murderers. But there does seem to be an attitude that an officer is justified
putting a few bullets into a dog if he feels even the slightest bit of
discomfort around the animal. Mere fear of a bite, not even an actual bite, is
justification for gunfire. Subsequent complaints about dog killings are usually
dismissed with little consideration. The lack of training is especially
troubling. A spokesman for the Humane Society told me last year that his
organization offers free training to any police department that requests it. He
could only think of a few that had taken advantage of the offer.<br />
<br />
SOURCE:<br />
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2010/06/coponcanine-violence.html </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-12950298649630812672012-07-15T08:32:00.001-05:002012-12-20T20:14:39.782-06:00DOGS IN DEADLY CROSSFIRE<br />
<br />
<header class="clearfix" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<h1 class="heading heading-style-i size-30">
<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/07/19/dogs-in-a-deadly-crossfire.html" target="_blank">Dogs in a Deadly Crossfire</a></h1>
<time class="timestamp" datetime="2009-07-19T10:49:44.000Z" pubdate="pubdate">Jul 19, 2009 6:49 AM EDT
</time>
<div class="dek-body">
<h2 class="dek">
Confronted by the family pet, police often shoot first and ask
questions later, reports Radley Balko. Among hundreds of recent victims:
Labradors, Wheaten terriers, and a five-pound Chihuahua.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226500620102898130" name="body_text_0" style="visibility: hidden;"></a></h2>
</div>
</header><br />
<div class="body parsys" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div class="text parbase section">
Beginning
next year, police departments in Maryland will be required to report to
the governor's office every time they kill a dog during a drug raid.
That requirement is part of a new law pushed by Cheye Calvo, the mayor
of the small town of Berwyn Heights.<br />
<br />
Calvo proposed the
legislation because police officers conducted a particularly violent
raid last summer on his home in Prince George's County after
intercepting a package of marijuana at a delivery-service warehouse. The
cops then completed the delivery themselves to the address on the
package. As it turns out, the house belonged Calvo, who had no
connection to the drugs. The package was part of a botched distribution
scheme in which an accomplice working for the delivery service was
supposed to have intercepted it before it was delivered.<br />
<br />
“You’re kicking down doors, barging in with guns, and when animals do what animals do, they become collateral damage.”<br />
<br />
The raid made headlines around the world, not only because
the police mistakenly busted into the home of a sitting mayor (believe
it or not, that has happened elsewhere), but because they killed Calvo's
two black Labradors, Peyton and Chase. Peyton was shot four times.
Chase was shot twice, once from behind as he fled.<br />
<br />
Within days,
Calvo and his family were cleared of any wrongdoing, but Prince George's
officials have steadfastly refused to apologize. As Calvo later
<a href="http://wjz.com/specialreports/botched.raids.wjz.2.854006.html">told a local TV station</a>,
"The county has defended their actions, saying basically that what they
did to us is standard operating procedure. That's the chilling
message."<br />
<br />
And, unfortunately, it appears to be true—the shooting
of dogs by police has become a troubling common across the country. My
beat as a journalist includes police misconduct, and I've noticed
<a href="http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/03/06/vandalia-residents-say-police-shooting-pets/">an increase in media accounts</a> of police officers
<a href="http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130714.html">shooting the family pet</a>—with
a notable lack of remorse or disciplinary consequences. This sad trend
appears to be a side effect of the new SWAT, paramilitary focus in many
police departments, which has supplanted the idea of being an “officer
of the peace.”<br />
<br />
"I think all of this drug-war imagery has produced a
mentality that didn't used to exist," says Norm Stamper, who was police
chief of Seattle from 1994 to 2000 and served 28 years in the San Diego
Police Department. "It's 'I'm part of a war, I have a mission, and
nothing is going to get in the way of me completing that mission.'
You're kicking down doors, barging in with guns, and when animals do
what animals do, they become collateral damage. Too many officers have
gotten rather callous about it, I'm afraid."<br />
<br />
The raid on Calvo's home was actually
<a href="http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1107/474003.html">the second in 10 months</a>
in which police in Prince George's County burst into a private home
during a drug raid, shot and killed the family dog, then realized they
had raided the wrong house. But national statistics on police-involved
pet shootings are difficult to come by. Randal Lockwood of the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
<a href="http://www.lvrj.com/news/40055997.html">recently told</a> the
Las Vegas Review-Journal he sees 250 to 300 incidents per year in media
reports, and estimates another 1,000 aren't reported.<br />
<br />
The
Indianapolis Star reported that between 2000 and 2002, police in that
city shot 44 dogs. A recent lawsuit filed by the Milwaukee owner of a
dog killed by police found police in that city
<a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/35288314.html">killed 434</a>
dogs over a nine-year period, or about one every seven-and-a-half days.
It's impossible to say how many of those were pets (versus strays), or
in how many of those shootings the dog may have actually presented a
serious threat to the officer or someone else. But in too many reported
accounts of dog shootings, it seems doubtful that lethal force was
necessary.<br />
<br />
It is easy to imagine that some breeds of dog might
legitimately pose a threat to police officers in volatile situations.
But that Calvo’s two black labs posed any serious risk to an armored,
heavily armed SWAT team stretches the bounds of credulity. The same can
be said of a host of recent dog shootings in which a police officer said
he felt “threatened” and had no choice but to use lethal force,
including the killing of a
<a href="http://www.theagitator.com/2008/12/20/dead-dog-tales/">Dalmatian</a> (more than once), a
<a href="http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2008/09/21/mount_olive_police_shoot_vicious_dog/">yellow Lab</a> , a
<a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/35288314.html">springer spaniel</a>, a
<a href="http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10411117">chocolate Lab</a>, a
<a href="http://www.newsnet5.com/home-backup/16570314/detail.html">boxer</a>, an
<a href="http://www.explorehoward.com/news/15341/home-raid-leads-complaint/">Australian cattle dog</a>, a
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFlWGeb_aw">Wheaten terrier</a>, an
<a href="http://vindy.com/news/2009/apr/14/youngstown-police-shoot-8216aggressive8217/">Akita</a>, and even a
<a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/976401.html">Jack Russell terrier</a>. Not small enough for you? How about a
<a href="http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/danville_family_grieves_after_they_say_dog_is_shot/11650/">12-pound miniature dachshund</a>? Or a
<a href="http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Family-Outraged-After-Officer-Shoots-Their-Dog/s8GbE4dftEigqCUBVDkUzA.cspx">five-pound chihuahua</a>?<br />
<br />
"We're
definitely hearing about these stories more often," says Adam Goldfarb,
who directs the Pets at Risk program for the Humane Society of the
United States. "It's hard to say if that's because it's happening more
often, or because it's just getting more coverage when it does."<br />
<div style="display: block;">
Last year, for example, a
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFlWGeb_aw">local news station</a>
in Oklahoma </div>
<div style="display: block;">
aired security-camera footage of a police officer pulling
into driveway of dog owner Tammy Christopher—just to ask for directions.
In the video, Christopher's Wheaten terrier runs out from the house,
and it's difficult to tell whether the dog is charging the officer or
bounding out to greet him. But the officer was on the dog's property.
And instead of merely getting back into his car, he pulled out his gun
and shot the dog dead. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
Police have recently killed pets while
<a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article972763.ece">merely questioning</a> neighbors about a crime in the area, cutting across private property
<a href="http://www.lvrj.com/news/39257847.html">while in pursuit</a> of a suspect, and after responding to
<a href="http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl041308tpdoberman.640c45c2.html?npc">a false burglar alarm</a>. It doesn't matter if your dog is
<a href="http://www.windypundit.com/archives/2008/11/a_puppycide_in_park_forest.html">loose</a> or
<a href="http://www.wpxi.com/news/17977029/detail.html">leashed</a>, or
<a href="http://www.wpxi.com/news/17977029/detail.html">if you've posted</a> "Beware of Dog Warnings."
<a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20080809/ai_n28055389">Last August in Colorado Springs</a>,
police entered a woman's house after her children let them in to look
for a fugitive. The children locked the family dog in the bathroom with
their mother, who was showering, and warned the police that the dog was
defensive. The police opened the bathroom door anyway, the dog bit one
of them, and they shot and killed it, inches from where the woman was
showering. The fugitive wasn't in the home, and the owner said she's
never heard of him.</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
If dangerous dogs are
so common, one would expect to find frequent reports of vicious attacks
on meter readers, postal workers, firemen, and delivery workers. But
according to a spokesman from the United States Postal Service, serious
dog attacks on mail carriers are vanishingly rare. Bites do happen, but
postal workers are given training on how to distract dogs with toys,
subdue them with voice commands, or, at worst, incapacitate them with
Mace. Mail carriers are shown a two-hour video and given instruction on
how to recognize and read a dog's body language, how to differentiate
between aggressive charging and playful bounding, and how to tell a
truly dangerous dog from a merely territorial one.</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
Few
police departments offer this kind of training, though groups like the
ASPCA and the Humane Society say they'd be more than happy to provide
it. "New York is the only state I know of that mandates formalized
training, and that's during academy," says Joseph Pentangelo, the
ASPCA's assistant director for law enforcement, who also served 21 years
with the NYPD before retiring in 2001. "There are some individual
departments in other parts of the country that avail themselves of our
training, but not many. Not enough." (Omaha, Nebraska, just recently
<a href="http://www.action3news.com/global/story.asp?s=8868921">started requiring training</a> after 39 dog-shooting incidents
<a href="http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10411117">in little more than a year</a>.)</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
Even
during highly charged police raids on houses guarded by aggressive
dogs, it's hard to see how shooting them is the best option. A grazing
shot will only make the dog angrier. A miss imperils other officers and
innocent bystanders. During
<a href="http://blog.aclu.org/2008/08/07/officer-acquitted-in-fatal-shooting-of-unarmed-woman-and-baby/">a terribly tragic drug raid</a>
in Lima, Ohio, last year, an officer shot and killed the suspect's two
pit bulls shortly after the drug team entered the house. Another officer
mistook the shots for hostile fire, and sprayed bullets into a bedroom,
where a 26-year-old unarmed woman named Tarika Wilson had dropped to
her knees, as ordered, while holding her 1-year-old son. Wilson died,
the infant lost a hand.</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
"Putting aside the
humanitarian concerns, shooting the dog just doesn't seem tactically
expeditious," says Pentangelo. "Something like a tranquilizer dart would
get the dog out of the way quickly without risking any collateral
damage. I guess part of the problem is that pets just aren't viewed as
real important."</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
There's no question that
in some circumstances, a police officer may have no choice but to shoot
an aggressive animal. The problem is that in too many of these cases,
the use of lethal force isn't the last option taken, but the first.</div>
<div style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div style="display: block;">
<i>Radley
Balko is a senior editor for Reason magazine and maintains a blog at
TheAgitator.com. He's also the author of a 2006 Cato Institute study on
the increasing use of paramilitary-style police raids.</i></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226500620102898130.post-29689497587281359362012-07-15T07:32:00.002-05:002012-07-15T07:35:02.166-05:00LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY RELATIONS<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Remembering-Lily-A-Reason-for-Change/304212019673773"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DIALOGUE ON JUSTICE FOR LILY'S FACEBOOK PAGE</span></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tiffani.bowman17">Tiffani Bowman</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I
sympathize with your loss as a pet owner who loves her dog immensely. However,
I love my police officer husband much more and would be more upset at the
injury or loss of him. I understand calling for more training and scenarios,
but asking for a persons career over one mistake is ludicrous. I can't make
sense of the reasons behind his actions but support his effort to go home at
the end of his shift. I suspect the media of sensationalizing this story, as
they do with ALL police related stories. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jim.musumeci.98">Jim Musumeci</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Tiffani,
I think everyone here wants your husband to return home safely at the end of
his shift, and if a dog (or, for that matter, a human) posed a serious threat
to his life, we would understand his defending himself. I still regard most law
enforcement officers as true heroes, and I think most of the people here do so
as well.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
However,
I think many policemen overestimate the threat from dogs. As a teenager in the
mid-1960s, I had a paper route when delivering by bicycle was the norm. Every
night at least one family on my route would fail to lock up their dog for the
night, and I was “charged" at least once every night. I was never bitten.
Deliverymen, paramedics, and firemen also encounter dogs on a regular basis,
but they are rarely bitten, and I have never heard of any of them having to
shoot a dog out of self-defense. Yet, somewhere in the U.S., a dog is shot and
killed by a policeman about once every day.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
The
problem is that too many people have your perspective that if a policeman did
it, there must have been a good reason for it. As a consequence some policemen
have learned that they can shoot any dog under any set of conditions, and
escape any consequences just by saying “I felt threatened.” </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
ASPCA has
studied this issue and calls for a more rigorous standard. <a href="http://www.aspca.org/About-Us/policy-positions/law-enforcement-response-to-potentially-dangerous-dogs">LE
Response To Potentially Dangerous Dogs</a>. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
There are
good and bad people in every profession, including police work. In most
professions, the really bad people are fired or jailed, but it seems that in
law enforcement there is an us-against-them mentality that causes them to
protect their bad apples. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
How else
can you explain a police officer striking a judge and his comrades saying they
saw nothing? </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/nyregion/justice-thomas-d-raffaele-says-police-officer-struck-him.html?pagewanted=all">Judge
Says He Was Struck by a Police Officer in Queens</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
A small
set of policemen whose city (Chicago) spends well over a million dollars of
taxpayer money every *month* settling lawsuits out of court, and yet who
continue to serve on the force . <a href="http://www.chicagoreporter.com/news/2012/05/abusing-badge">Abusing the
Badge</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
You say
the media blows things out of proportion. Well, take a look at these
videos. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJVnA5KXJw&feature=player_detailpage">The
Vicious Dog</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv0T2X1dXcI">The Attacking Dog</a>. Tell me how you would write them up. BTW, the
family in the second video asked the police several times to shut the door to
the car so the dogs wouldn’t get out, and they refused to do so. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Then
there are the police who have shot dogs in the back</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
1 <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/04/AR2008090402746.html">Killing
of Mayor's 2 Dogs Justified, Pr. George's Finds</a>,</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
2 <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/24/AR2011012405711.html">Prince
George's settles suit by Berwyn Heights mayor over storming of home</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
3 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC0efyhYVeY&feature=player_detailpage">Woman
Sues Police Over Fatal Dog Shooting</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Their
departments initially defended them on the grounds that “they felt threatened,”
even though [in the Maryland mayor case, at least] the same policemen admitted
the dogs were running away when they shot them.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
You say
“but asking for a persons career over one mistake is ludicrous.” Really? Would
you say that to John Sandusky’s first victim? O.J. Simpson’s? Bernie Madoff’s?
Anyone who wasn’t a policeman and did one of the things in the previous
paragraph? Policemen are just like everyone else in that they are responsible
for their actions.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Trust and
respect for law enforcement officers will continue to decline, and frustration
and anger will continue to grow, until the vast majority of law enforcement
officers who are heroes step up to the plate and stop protecting the bad apples
in the group.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09807868010735199076noreply@blogger.com2