Disabled veteran kicked off boardwalk because of service dog

A disabled U.S. Army veteran, who served our country for 19 years, says he was kicked off the North Wildwood boardwalk last night, simply for having his service dog by his side.

Jared Goering served 1 tour in Iraq, 2 in Afghanistan, and spent 19 years as an active member of the Army. Jared said, "I served from 1993 to 2012." He then told NBC40 he couldn't sleep Thursday night because he felt so disrespected by a North Wildwood police officer.

Goering said, "Just like any veteran with disabilities with a service dog, to come back and be harassed and shown no respect, it upset me - it really bothered me. I was up most of the night thinking about it."

A North Wildwood police officer issued Jared and his wife a summons because of the dog. Goering said, “I expected to get more respect from him because of the jobs that we both have to do."

"He mockingly asked if all veterans get service dogs," said Jared’s wife, Sally Goering, “his dog is medically necessary and he is a service dog."

In 2009, Jared was serving in Afghanistan when his vehicle was blown up by IEDs, twice, within 36 hours. Now, Jared uses his 3-year-old service dog, Gator, short for Navigator, to help him walk, and to get up and down stairs.

But that’s the whole point of having a SWAT team in the first place; the “regular” officers should not be issued, nor should they be training, with that kind of gear. If a situation like you describe crops up, the “regular” officers should call in the SWAT group to handle the “tactical” aspects of the situation. “Tactical” gear carries too much emotional baggage, and warps the beat-patrolman mindset too much.

Also, the whole ‘maybe we just want to be as well equipped as possible should that situation arise in “our little towns”’ attitude is just another statist variation of the same justification the NSA is giving for pulling in every scrap of information on everyone, whether they’re a suspect or not.

All well and good...except the days of waiting around for SWAT to show up..particularly in areas without full time on duty SWAT teams, are over. If you had kids in a school, with an active shooter...actively shooting children, would you want the “regular officers” to sit around on their ass? How many people can be killed waiting a half hour for the SWAT team to be called in, assembled, and make an entry? Maybe the entire school. The lesson from Columbine was just that...and departments are sued for a lack of or slow response to these situations. So the acquisition and training with this equipment is actually a good thing. That being said, how it is utilized can be bone headed at times...this I admit. Again...my two cents worth

The problem is that, once the department has the equipment, they go looking for reasons to use it. The reason doesn’t matter; could be trying to justify the purchase, could be just the temptation to play with the cool toys. The end result is the same: cops wearing full assault gear to serve summonses, respond to domestic calls, barking dogs etc. And, to make it worse, as I noted earlier the gear carries a mental attitude with it. Once suited up, the wearer goes into “operator” mode, and everything becomes a “tactical” operation instead of a normal call-out.

I believe some of this stems from the misguided policy of “officer safety”. Police are by definition meant to step in harms way to protect civilians. The civilians’ safety should *always* be paramount, even if it means the officer is injured. That’s where the “innocent until proven guilty” part comes in; every “suspect” has to be treated as innocent. Yes, more officers will likely be injured; fine, use all the money currently being spent on over-equipping the department, and use it to take care of the personnel instead.

Here’s my letter/email to this mayor and police chief:

Mayor William Henfey and Chief Robert Matteucci,
August 11, 2013

I am writing to you in reference to the actions of one of your Police Officers there in North Wildwood, NJ, who in the last few days there on the boardwalk ticketed and then a disabled veteran, Jared Goering, to leave. This veteran, was an individual who served 19 years in our service, and three tours of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The officer ticketed this man because he was using his service dog to help him on the Boardwalk. Apparently the officer only felt, “seeing eye dogs,” were allowed.

I notice on your site for North Willdwood that your indicate to the public how importantly you view the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is the law of the land. How is the behavior by this officer at all consistent with that? It is not.

This veteran was severally injured by an IED in Afghanistan, and as a part of his recovery, rehabilitation, and treatment, requires that dog be with him at all times. For your officer to even so much as demand or ask for ID for that dog is not allowed under the law. But then, when shown the dog’s ID, for him to replay, “What, are all vets being issued dogs now?” and, “That ID does not mean anything to me,” is simply intolerable and cannot stand.

I can think of two critical things that North Wildwood simply must do to diffuse this and satisfy the outrage that is building with the public...all over this country...over this issue.

1) Make a formal, public apology, where this man and his wife and the offending officer and city officials are all present and apology profusely to him for the way he was treated, dismissing all charges.

2) Immediately institute an educational and training program within your city staff, most importantly within the Police Department, to train these personnel regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act in general, and specifically about service dogs.

3) Institute disciplinary action against any officer or employee who themselves violate the law, as this officer did, with regards to any person covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

As a disabled American myself, I understand this retired soldier’s position, disgrace, and negative impact when others ignore their needs, required under the law, and particularly when they treat them in this way. Your officer, sworn to uphold the law, actually broke the law himself in ticketing and removing this disabled veteran because of his dog. How utterly shameful.

I hope you will simply do the right thing and forget politics and elections, terms of office, and all of that in respecting this man and his family who have already suffered so much for us all, and who does not need the very people he defended adding to that suffering.

Sincerely,

Jeff Head
Idaho, USA

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.