Me get a grip?? I'm not the one with the problem.  I have many non cop friends and in fact have a dog.  Legally speaking it is property.  I guess it will all come out in the end.  Man now I know why some lambaste the admins when the board goes down.  I never said shooting the dog was the correct course of action, but it is a dog, not a person and as I said, the facts and circumstances of this whole incident are pretty messed up.  I just find it hard to equate the value of the dog with a person and will not seek to ruin a guy's career over what is really an unfortunate incident.  I just get tired of all the whining about JBT this and JBT that. Blah blah blah.  Since we are playing all these what ifs.

What if the husband and wife had kidnapped the guy in the back seat and were holding him prisoner with the dog acting as guard trained to kill on command.  What if he threw out his wallet and money as a signal to passersby that he was in trouble and needed help.  I guess most here would be ok with the cops just letting it go as they should have presumed this was an out of state family on vacation and nothing was really wrong.  Thats the problem with being a cop you can never please everybody.  No wonder so many of my collegues retire early, or worse yet just stop enforcing the law.  It really is much easier to clean up after the crime than to try to prevent one in the first place.  Oh, look, that guys creeping under bushes at 2pm [most residential burglaries occur between 9am and 3pm] , no, he's not a burglar, must be the gardner best to just drive on past.  Naw, thats not a drunk on the road, he was just trying to reach for some pocket change, then his lighter, then a cigarette, best to just let him be on his way.  Naw that masked guy with the shotgun walking down the city street in july is just cold and on his way to the target range, never mind him.  Its donut time so don't bother me.

real simple, yeah he should have closed the door.  No explanation why he didn't but he didn't.  Point two, no human was shot and supposing one would have been is just speculation and really reaching.  Last point, Dogs do not qualify for protection on the use of force continuum and only a moron lays down a shotgun at a scene to reach for mace.

Incompetence is really a training problem, either he needs additional training or should be fired.  Its not really for us to say.  That is a matter for his superiors to address based on his overall performance.  You have any idea how hard it is to fire a civil service Union cop?  Last one I fired, and he was a danger to not only himself but everyone around him took me 2 years.  Two full years to fire a guy that should not have made probation and I had documentation on everything. If the guy is salvageable retraiing is a much cheaper option.  Back to my point, these are fact we don't know. BTW OJ was innocent, the jury said so.

I've said my peace before, so I'll not rehash it here. But just remember. What is merely "property" to you, and with lack of any real value, might be far more to someone else.





Accountability.

No, it is not for us to say, unless you happen to live in that jurisdiction.  That is for the people there to decide in concert with their elected and appointed officials.

Perhaps we would all be better off with a National United States Police Force.  One agency head, national jurisdiction, no local control and one set of training and rules.  Doesn't that sound much better and more efficient.  We eliminate the fife syndrome at the start and have a well trained ges... universtal police force with high standards and no money problems.  It would be safe for dogs everywhere.

This is just silly.  We now have people threatening to kill people over dogs.  BTW, I'm the guy who jumped into lake Erie to save a drwoning beagle puppy, full duty gear and all.  You know how long it takes to clean Lake Erie out of a colt and vest?  yes dogs are nice companions and pets.  Sure we become attatched to them but I was taught one simple rule.  All people come before all animals or things.  As I said, this is really getting silly.  What about the rights of Deer not to be hunted while simply going about their business and trying to procreate?

Because Police dogs are government property.  The same level of destruction to public or private property may differ in penalties.  Additionally resisting the police dog is presumed to be resisting the lawful force as applied by the officer controlling the dog.  Hence it is a higher degree of harm to society.  There is simply put, no right to resist arrest and the police dog, at the direction of its handler is assisting in effecting an arrest.  Thats generally the reason they are kept in the car when not actually deployed by the officer.  Hope that helps answer your question.  BTW if you want to bury your mutt when the time comes with honors, feel free, I don't think anyone will mind.  They certainly won't go on for four pages about it.

The following comment is not to be considered as direct connection with the event being discussed. It is merely a statement of my feelings towards my dogs.
My dogs are part of my family. They get the same level of protection as my wife and kids. They are two of the best friends I have in the entire world. I DO put their lives above anyones life who would do them unjust harm.



Accountability.