They might have been trying to surround the house to prevent the suspected perp from taking off through the back yard . . . There was, apparently, more than one cop on the scene. The cops have a right to protect themselves from man and beast.
“The cops have a right to protect themselves from man and beast. “
And they were protected from the beasts. That’s what the fence was for, to keep the dogs on the property, and as a physical reminder for uninvited people to keep off the property.
Do you suppose that the dogs would have kept napping if the suspect was in their yard? No, they would have been barking and carrying on to tell the whole neighborhood that their yard had been intruded. The fact that the dogs were napping, and woke up when the cops entered would clue in any thinking person that “nope, the suspect isn’t here”.
They don't have the right to trespass on private property without a warrant. These cops are a**holes. There would have been no "need to protect themselves" if they hadn't sneaked into someone's yard and woke up the dogs. The dogs were doing their job, protecting their owners yard, the cops are totally in the wrong here and I would say from most of the dog shooting articles I've read that most of the cops involved in the dog shootings are in the wrong.
>> The cops have a right to protect themselves from man and beast. <<
Man forms intent and can be told to cease.
Beast responds to instinct and ignores all but its master. It can’t form (legal) intent.
If a cop goes into the backyard of someone without a warrant and not in pursuit of the dog’s master, said cop can’t hold it against a dog for protecting the dog’s territory, much less mete out lethal punishment.
I support cops but if a cop killed my dog when my dog was in the backyard doing what I want it (my dog) to do — protect my property — I would sue everyone in sight.
What, the dog was supposed to see a uniform and a badge and back off?
Since there is no indication that there were any other cops in the front-—and no indication that any officers went up to the front door to speak to the homeowners, this does not appear to be a case of surrounding a residence.
“The cops have a right to protect themselves from man and beast.”
Trespassing cops have no right to protect themselves.