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I've read the article, and all the posts.
Here's my take.

Firstly, he told the cops/firemen the dog was in there.
Secondly, he waited 30 Minutes for them to rescue the dog.

Here's where we get to the idiocy.
He CLIMBED UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING TO HIS BALCONEY.
That indicates;
#1. He never "entered" the building. No one would have had to "go in to get him". ( Several posters made this complaint.)
#2. The Nashville Fire Dept. does not know how to use a ladder, or does not have them. ( If a person can climb up there from outside, a fireman could have placed a ladder or ladder unit just as well, and retrieved the dog without "entering the building".

I would not lessen nor demean the job that police and firefighters do. It is dangerous, and they DO RISK THEIR LIVES for others.
But they also, on ocassion, act stupidly, especially when someone questions or challenges their authority.

Someone encroached upon their "personal turf", and they are using (abusing) the law to punish that person.

Just my opinion.

Someone encroached upon their "personal turf", and they are using (abusing) the law to punish that person.

Here's what should happen:

1) The homeowner should be reimbursed for his time that agents of state wasted and trauma that agents of state inflicted. A public apology should be made with the mayor on his knees while doing it.

2) The arresting officers should be dismissed from their jobs and brought up on federal charges of violating the homeowner's civil Rights.

3) The firefighters (if any) who suggested that the homeowner be arrested should be fired and charged with conspiracy to violate the subject's civil Rights. (This is a federal crime also).

4) All those involved in lesser aspects of the event who were "just doing their jobs" should be required to take a class on individual Rights and the role of the peace officer in a Free society. The course should be taught by someone like Walter Williams or Nat Hentoff. They should pay for the class out of their own pockets. Those that fail should be fired.

You ought to see the film. The top floor of the building was completely ablaze, and in some sections, was crumbling and falling. The balcony immediately above him was roaring and consumed by flame, and appeared to be ready to come down any second. He lcimbs up, breaks the glass, helps the dog over the balcony (about a 10 foot drop), and moves out of there real fast himself.

He was very lucky, mind bogglingly foolhardy, and deserves the penalty he had coming.

Control of bystanders at a fire scene is not about "statist JBTs" - it is about common sense safety procedures.

That all being said, I probably would have done the exact same thing to save the dog - then taken my punishment for doing something which endangered others.