Posted on 06/16/2009 11:04:00 AM PDT by marktwain
"Killer" the miniature dachshund shot by a police officer. (Richmond-Times Dispatch)Police in Danville, Virginia are defending the fatal shooting and killing of an 11 year-old miniature dachshund, claiming that the police officer who shot the 12-pound dog, acted reasonably and in self-defense.
"Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department's policy," states a press release issued by Danville Police Chief Phillip Broadfoot.
The diminutive dog, who had the ironic name of "Killer", was known as a "sweet, mild-mannered dog," reports the Richmond-Times Dispatch.
"He just kind of walked up and down the neighborhood and didn't bother anybody," said neighbor Jenine Edmunds. "He was just a little house dog."
Killer and his family --- Tawalin Harper, his wife and two kids --- live on a quiet cul-de sac. "He was the security guard around here," Harper said, explaining that Killer would bark whenever a strange car entered the cul-de-sac.
How did the shooting happen?
Earlier this week, a police officer pulled into the cul-de-sac to serve two warrants to a neighbor. As the officer --- whose name the police department is refusing to release --- returned to his car, "he was surprised by a growling dog running through the yard directly at him from the rear, leaving him with just seconds to consider his options," reads the police statement.
Police Chief Broadstreet said the officer's options in that instance were to run to the squad car, distract the dog, or use pepper spray, his baton or his firearm.
After Killer, allegedly "lunged at the officer and attacked him," the officer decided to draw his gun and shoot the aging 12-pound mini dachshund. Apparently, the officer feared great bodily harm --- perhaps to his ankles.
Harper's children, who were inside the house, heard the gunshot and called their father, who raced home to find Killer laying on the ground "with his guts hanging out.“
According to NBC4i, the officer leaned against his patrol car, smoking a cigarette. He refused to give Harper his name and badge number and said "he had to shoot the dog because he was barking at him."
When the officer's supervisor arrived on the scene, the supervisor/lieutenant was very sorry. "“He kept apologizing," recalls Harper. "And he said I know apologizing can’t bring the dog back, but I just don’t know what to say.“
The Harpers remain devastated at the loss of the dog they have had and loved for 11 years. "He was a family member," says a bewildered and saddened Harper. "They took a family member away."
if that means the law, then you are absolutely correct, my FRiend.
Departmental policy is NOT law.
most dept guidelines that deal with use of force/arrest/interrogation are based on the state and federal statutes.
Oh, aren’t we a pisspot full of ourselves.
Why so touchy? You a cop?
The facts, my dear Watson, are that some aggro punk who wears a uniform and carries a gun killed a dog attacking him. And you defend him.
Man, you know, we never saw those pictures of dachsunds at AbuGhraib.
No I wasn’t the guy who asked if you were a news anchor.
“i am a great cop who helps a lot more people than i hurt. and i have been around here a LOT longer than you. so relax.”
Around where?
Shoulda pinged you to my last post.
When the US Army wants to petrify prisoners, they start with German Shepherds and then to instigate real terror, they bring in the dachsunds.
Dood, you don’t know what a “bad dog” is until you’ve experienced the inscrutable, seething, oriental malice that is the Shih-Tzu.
When I said drop the chalupa I meant put down your sandwich not shoot the dog.
I consider myself a law-and-order person, which requires that I oppose police who flout the law. The Fifth Amendment forbids the government (and by extension the police) from depriving people of property without due process. While it can't forbid truly accidental damage to property, it does require that the government (cops) take at least reasonable efforts to avoid it. Given how many other people manage to deal with strange dogs without shooting them and without getting injured, it's pretty clear that a lot of cops make no effort to avoid "having" to shoot dogs.
“Those inside the law industry embrace lying, intimidation, duplicity, and prevarication as requirements of their profession. Those of us who do not live by such low standards rightly recoil from such practices”
Bingo. We have a winner!
Exhibit A: Photo-enforcement in Arizona. Public LEO mouthpieces parrot the ‘it’s for safety’ mantra but when one peruses the AZ LEO forums the overwhelming cop chatter holds that the GD cameras are for revenue collection only, that traffic stops by commissioned officers can check for real criminal activity, and that the cameras provide no public safety value in terms of accident response, or response to other on highway crimes of a non-speeding nature.
Oh, but there’s more. The real gripes get down to ‘professional courtesy’ slipping away. An LEO speeding home in his private vehicle is just as subject to a bogus due-process-ignoring ‘notice of violation’ as any other submitizen because the poor public servant can’t flash his badge to a TBL buddy and get a free pass. Then there’s the bureaucratic union concern about automation ‘taking’ away cops’ jobs.
I’m pro-peace officer, but with the recent use of Tazers not as self defense tools but as remote control pain compliance torture devices (with potentially lethal outcomes), it’s petty obvious that our public servants hold those who delegate their authority in contempt and disdain. A like response is indicated and justified for folks who use cute euphemisms such as ‘ride the lightening’ when describing torturing adolescents and little old ladies with attitudes.
Sorry professional law enforcement, but as long as you don’t police your own of these miscreants, and actively defend this BS behind Nuremburgesque ‘just following policy’ excuses your profession is worthy of contempt and disdain.
Let’s not forget that officers can lie to their public as an ‘investigative tool’, but woe unto a submitizen who mis-states something to a badge bandit.
Rabies? Hell, might as well shoot any salivary-gland-packing and dentiferous homo-sapien within bite distance who might have HIV. And there are toddlers who have been born with HIV. “If it saves just one officer’s life...” So there’s another good reason not to smile at the man.
I am a resident of Danville, VA and I, like many of my fellow Danvillians have been shocked by this event and the way it has been handled. I don’t think we’ll feel safe until this cop is fired, as well as the police chief. A city councilman has finally begun the task of investigating this and I hope that the family - and by extension, the rest of us - will see some justice. Pictures of this cop (apparently taken in Iraq) are online and seeing them explains a lot!
Dig deep into this LEOs background. You can bet the rent there is something there. This guy isn’t normal.
You sent that post to the wrong Person...I don’t know who you intended it for...but I’m NOT that person.I don’t see any one on that thread that you could have intended it for.
bobaloobob
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.