Trooper kicks K9 partner

The news and observer ^ | 4/28/08 | Dan Kane

[Crim]

RALEIGH - A hearing into the firing of a state trooper accused of mistreating his police dog opened today with a video of the officer kicking the dog as it was suspended from the railing of a loading dock. The 15-second video, taken by another trooper using his cell phone, shows Sgt. Charles L. Jones kicking the dog, Ricoh, five times. The dog was tied to the railing by its leash at the time, with its front paws in the air and its rear paws touching the ground. With each kick, the dog swung about two feet under the dock.

[LowOiL]

Episode 3 of Dog lovers of FR go wild...

[Petronski]

Does this person “deserve credit” for anything other than standing by while a crime was committed?

Yes. They deserve credit for providing prosecutors with a video recording of the crime, making prosecutions easier (or unnecessary), convictions easier, and sentences potentially longer than if it were merely testimony of what happened.

Have you found the place in the article where it says the dog was swung around by the leash? Did you even read the article before making that claim?

[Petronski]

Isnt the teen who took the video actually an accessory to the act that was captured on video?

Not solely by virtue of videotaping it.

[driftdiver]

So why wasn’t this officer charged with anything?

[CDHart]

That should be

governor.office@ncmail.net

not "met." Not enough coffee yet, obviously.

Carolyn

[Darren McCarty]

.....only cops should have guns....

[Petronski]

In a recent case of a 16 year old girl bein g beaten by a crown of teens...someone took video...

Are you referring to the Florida case of the YouTube ambush beating?

No, that videographer does not deserve credit, because she was apparently a co-conspirator...a participant in the crime with intent and planning prior to the act.

Some innocent bystander who videotapes a beating certainly does deserve credit, as I said before.

[boxerblues]

BTTT FOR LATER

[NCjim]

More details here at WRAL:

Troopers defend dog-training techniques

[MEGoody]

This officer SHOULD be fired. He was assaulting his partner.

Even if you choose to look at a police dog as just a piece of equipment, he purposefully damaged government property.

If it were up to me, he'd be hung by a leash from the dock and kicked.

[Joe 6-pack]

"As long as that follows charges for assault on a police officer and animal abuse...A few months ago a man was charged with animal abuse for telling a police dog to shut up. No double standard here, move along."

Agreed. That has always bothered me. I love dogs, and they play a very important role in law enforcement, but they are not police officers; they are public property. Having said that, when they and their handlers accomplish great things, the dog should be recognized as part of the team, and the team will normally undergo remedial training together when they screw something up. I'm all for letting handlers (especially military working dogs) take their dogs with them when the dog has reached 'retirement' age (kind of lilke letting the old cop keep his service revolver). Working dogs (and horses) occupy a special niche, but they remain public property. Taking a kick or a shot at a dog is NOT an assault on an officer, but rather an attempt to destroy public property, possibly resisting arrest, etc. and should be adjudicated accordingly.

[Petronski]

This getting through to you?

You told me I didn't properly read the article because it said he swung the dog around by the leash.

The article doesn't say that. It says he "helicoptered" him. If that is what "helicoptered" means, fine. But that definition is NOT IN THE ARTICLE.

[Crim]

Wow....if THAT doesnt open your eyes... From your link:(snipped) Troopers defend dog-training techniques Posted: Apr. 29 1:01 p.m. Updated: Apr. 29 10:23 p.m. Raleigh, N.C. — Some Highway Patrol troopers on Tuesday supported K-9 training techniques used by a former colleague who was fired last fall after being accused of animal abuse. Former Sgt. Charles Jones, a 12-year veteran in charge of K-9 training for the Highway Patrol, was fired in September after another trooper turned over two 15-second video clips of him suspending his K-9 partner, Ricoh, from a railing and kicking the dog to force it to release a chew toy. (Caution: Contents of the video may disturb some viewers.) Jones has sued to regain his job, saying he was fired only because members of Gov. Mike Easley's office pressured the Highway Patrol to get rid of him. Several other troopers were accused of other offenses at the time, prompting Easley to order an outside review of the agency. Lt. Col. Cecil Lockley, who signed off on Jones' dismissal, read a statement Tuesday saying he was wrong. "The decision to fire Sgt. Jones was predetermined not by the patrol's disciplinary process, (but) by an outside entity," Lockley said in the statement. Meanwhile, Jones' lawyer, Jack O'Hare, claimed the video clips show Jones using training techniques that he had been taught by the Highway Patrol. Ricoh was a particularly aggressive dog that required extra training, O'Hare said. Other troopers agreed, testifying Tuesday before the state Office of Administrative Hearings – a quasi-judicial agency – that Jones was doing only what was necessary to train the dog. "Even though it appeared the animal was abused, it was an acceptable technique used by canine handlers, and (Jones) was trained to do that," Lockley said. "Worse things have happened in the past and been done," Trooper James Pickard said. "You have to have total control over these dogs at all times. If that means kicking him, hitting him, choking him, whatever it takes. It becomes an extreme liability on the side of the road if you cannot control that dog." Lt. Don Cole described other accepted techniques, such as suspending a dog out of a window when he doesn't obey or forcing a dog onto the ground. "Ricoh was one of the high-driven dogs. (He was an) alpha dog, just pack leader, wanted to be in charge," Cole said. Members of other law enforcement agencies said they would never use such techniques to train their K-9s. "We don't train our animals that way," said Maj. Lucy Zastrow, of the Durham County Sheriff's Office. "I'm not familiar with that technique." "I've never seen that before. It's not something we do here," said Sgt. Bobby Lane, the K-9 handler for the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. "It's not something I've ever seen and not something I would think you would do to get a dog to release a toy," said Tracy Bowling of Ventosa Kennels, who trains deputies for Wake and Johnston counties and trains K-9 handlers nationwide. The Highway Patrol's canine-training manual doesn't specify any methods that are banned or allowed. Bryan Beatty, secretary of the state Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, testified Monday that Jones' actions were unlike any many trainers with the Highway Patrol had ever seen. Kicking a dog as Jones' did or leaving it suspended was excessive and unacceptable, Beatty said. ----------------------------------------- It gets worse....Blue is thicker than blood... Appearently...the federal review of the Dept is fully warranted...the state is dropping the ball...

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Since when did abusive techniques become an acceptable or successful way to train an animal? The fact that this officer was "only" kicking the animal's "legs" makes it OK?!

The fact that this officer is unable to train this dog without using abuse would seem to make him worthless.

[Crim]

It was spelled out several times what helecoptering means in relation to the dog..

You are quibbling about a term and not the act.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

I may not be the smartest card in the deck at times but, even I know what “helicoptering” means - without the definition! I used to do it with my girls when they were small - holding their hands, of course! ;~) Have to admit I never knew there was a term for the fun my girls had getting dizzy!

[DouglasKC]

Since when did abusive techniques become an acceptable or successful way to train an animal? The fact that this officer was "only" kicking the animal's "legs" makes it OK?! The fact that this officer is unable to train this dog without using abuse would seem to make him worthless.

It seems that according to the article the dog considered it a game. I've had dogs that loved to pull on things as I was trying to get it away from them. They liked it. I've seen videos of dogs on America's Funniest Home Videos where dogs are "helicoptering" because they think it's fun to to let go of something. However, if I were training a dog to release an item, I would not want him to consider it a game. Now granted I'm not a dog trainer, but since all we know of his training technique is 15 seconds of video than I'm not ready to jump on the abuse bandwagon.

[freedomwarrior998]

There has to be a specific law implicated or there is no basis to sue. So again, your opinion isn't the law and the judge should base his decision solely on the law in question, NOT public opinion.

We do not convict people in the court of public opinion in this country. We might not like the guy, we might not like what he did, but he has a right to due process.

Pestering the judge is unAmerican in my opinion.

[Crim]

What ever you do dont look it up...and never ever admit to “helecoptered” your children....

It’s also an Urban slang for the completion of a sexual act.

SHEW.