LAw Enforcement Today article- don't shoot family dogs

[Marty65]

There may be situations where officers are required to take some sort of action and a person's pet is in the way of accomplishing that task.
I'm going to do what I need to in order to ensure my safety and the safety of my coworkers. Period. If that means killing a dog, then so be it.

It's easy to sit behind a computer screen and say cops should do this or that. That's not reality though.

Yes, it's understandable that one must put down someone's "family pet" in an obvious and potentially "dangerous" scenario like the one you stated. But not in every scenario an officer feels so called.... "threatened" - case in point is the Hawthorne incident - based on my review of the different videos - that kill was bullshit and could have been handled differently.

I've killed 5 dogs in my lifetime - three in Iraq and two in the civilian world - I will have to add that I've spared three times as many wild hungry dogs their lives in Iraq than the three I had to kill.

One does not have to be a police officer to exercise discretion, common sense and good judgment.

 

[bojangle]

Yes, it's understandable that one must put down someone's "family pet" in an obvious and potentially "dangerous" scenario like the one you stated. But not in every scenario an officer feels so called.... "threatened" - case in point is the Hawthorne incident - based on my review of the different videos - that kill was bullshit and could have been handled differently.

I've killed 5 dogs in my lifetime - three in Iraq and two in the civilian world - I will have to add that I've spared three times as many wild hungry dogs their lives in Iraq than the three I had to kill.

One does not have to be a police officer to exercise discretion, common sense and good judgment.

Well, then you've shot five more dogs than I've ever shot. And I've come across my share of aggressive dogs (although probably not as many as you have in Iraq). I was even nipped once, but that was by a little tiny dog and he didn't break the skin or anything.

With your experience, you should understand this issue. You should understand that, even in shooting of dangerous people scenarios, each person has their own threshold of when they will pull the trigger. That probably goes more so for shooting vicious dogs. Those more familiar with handling and being around dogs and reading their body language will likely be more hesitant to fire than someone not familiar with, or terrified of dogs. That does not mean their split second decision was wrong.

In the Hawthorne incident, the dog clearly snapped at the officer when he tried to grab the dog's leash. The author who wrote that the officer shot the dog for barking was either grossly misinformed or a deliberate liar. I can't trust anything that author wrote and would be suspect of all of the incidents he mentions. I don't believe officers are out there shooting people's pets for sport. And I also don't think most shootings are due to just the dog barking or growling. I bet the overwhelming majority involve dogs charging, snapping, and biting.

Nick brought up a good point. Mail carriers have the option of turning around and leaving and not delivering the mail. When the police are on scene, we usually don't have that luxury. In fact, we usually have a duty to continue.

 

[NorCalBusa]

I think that's where some dog training can help Dave. Reaching down to "grab a leash" isn't interpreted as that by a dog. Most all approaches from an overhead (of the dog) position are dominance behaviors (in the dog world), which in their chain leads to imminent attack, and should not occur with an animal unknown to you (trust). Simply knowing that Dog 101 item may have prevented what occurred.

Like all of us, police see the word through their "lens"; and what they have been taught to do to solve one thing- exacerbates another. For example; screaming "relax" and "stop resisting" at the top of their lungs, four cops at a time not in unison (so it sounds simply like "noise"), would hardly proffer the result they so seek.

Come by and play with my pup, you'll see.

 

[silversvs]

Clearly another case of "walk a mile in my shoes." I know it sounds cliché, and maybe a cop out answer, but its pretty true. I've killed one dog in twenty years. I've been around numerous other dogs that were aggressive toward me, but I was able to resolve the issue without using lethal force. We have snares in almost all our patrol cars. But there will still be situations where officers have to take immediate lethal force against a dog or other animal. It happens. As a dog owner and breeder, and a tenured police officer, I still don't see what type of training can be assembled that you guys are clamoring for. Dealing with dogs is basically common sense, use the tools you have, and make a decision based on the circumstances. And I will repeat that I don't believe we have a problem in the bay area with agencies needlessly killing animals.

 

[Marty65]

Clearly another case of "walk a mile in my shoes." I know it sounds cliché, and maybe a cop out answer, but its pretty true. I've killed one dog in twenty years. I've been around numerous other dogs that were aggressive toward me, but I was able to resolve the issue without using lethal force. We have snares in almost all our patrol cars. But there will still be situations where officers have to take immediate lethal force against a dog or other animal. It happens. As a dog owner and breeder, and a tenured police officer, I still don't see what type of training can be assembled that you guys are clamoring for. Dealing with dogs is basically common sense, use the tools you have, and make a decision based on the circumstances. And I will repeat that I don't believe we have a problem in the bay area with agencies needlessly killing animals.

I agree, agencies north of the Grapevine seem to have it together.

As for "special training" needs in this topic...it's like the military and it's new found reasoning towards special training and education in sexual assault for our military members and it's leadership. It really boils down to common sense...you either have it or you don't.

 

[ST Guy]

I wonder if dog shootings are more common in higher crime neighborhoods where the percentage of large agressive dogs is likely higher, all of which would tend to raise the anxiety levels of officers.

 

[bojangle]

I wonder if dog shootings are more common in higher crime neighborhoods where the percentage of large agressive dogs is likely higher, all of which would tend to raise the anxiety levels of officers.

Probably. It would also be the areas that police spend more time responding to calls, dealing with barricaded armed robbers, and serving search warrants too. I know I spend far more time in the higher crime parts of my city than in the lower crime areas.

 

[Elmer Gantry]

Leon Rosby Owner Of Dog Killed By Hawthorne Police Speaks Out

[YOUTUBE]cqjyc6naDKI[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Shaggy]

All the points that he thinks are "gotcha" moments actually reinforce the validity of the shoot.

What did you expect? The owner of the dog to support the police shooting his animal?

 

[Elmer Gantry]

Hawthorne police officer who killed dog has a past charge of police brutality
http://www.examiner.com/article/haw...led-dog-has-a-past-charge-of-police-brutality

According to a news release dated July 2 by PR Web, the Hawthorne police officer responsible for killing a dog as it's owner, Leon Rosby, is placed under arrest has been in trouble with the law in the past.

In the case of Goodrow vs Hawthorne, Officer Jeffrey Salmon was one of seven Hawthorne Police Department officers charged with alleged deprivation of civil rights resulting from excessive force, denial of medical treatment and malicious prosecution, stemming from an incident that occurred at a party on July 21, 2006.

Hawthorne Police Department settled the lawsuit for one million dollars in case CV-07-5253 (VBV) on the eve of the trail on US District Court, Central District of California, the Honorable Judge Valerie Baker Fairbank presiding.

The Hawthorn officers responding were accused of beating plaintiff Anthony Goodrow when they responded to a noise complaint at a party. Andrew and his wife Karla Hernriquez Goodrow were both charged and falsely prosecuted to cover up police brutality. The charges against Anthony were dismissed in criminal court.

 

[Shaggy]

0% bearing on what happened in the dog shooting. Your bias is showing.

Pretty much EVERY cop who has been a police officer for more than a quick minute (myself included) gets "accused" of excessive force. The IA becomes unfounded and you go about your life. It's the cost of doing business. The fact is, people don't like it when the cops up their hands on you and when they do put hands on you, the majority of people just see dollar signs.

Just because the City settled doesn't mean the officers were wrong or right. The cost of going to court is almost always great than the cost of settling.