Killing of family dog unfolds on videotape (Dog shooter gets desk duty)

tennessean.com ^ | 1/9/03 | LEON ALLIGOOD

[Rebelbase]

Three minutes and seven seconds tells the story of a dog named Patton.

The dog, which was shot at close range Jan. 1 by a Cookeville policeman during a felony traffic stop, belonged to the James Smoak family of Saluda, N.C. At the time, the Tennessee Highway Patrol suspected the Smoaks

[mg39]

Fine, I'll answer your question: if my father or brother was a cop, and if my father or brother was an idiot, I'd admit it.

My father was too smart to become a cop, and I have no brothers, so we'll never no for sure, will we?

I don't like criminals OR cops.

[American Blood]

Thank you for that post. Another voice of reason is needed on this disgrace-of-a-cop-hating thread.

[Politically Correct]

BTW, you are so quick to shift all blame to the dispatchers so you must have heard the 911 call and the subsequent communications to the patrol officers. Care to give us a link so we can see how it was all their fault?

Here's what the article says was passed to the cops.

In Cookeville, THP dispatcher Timothy Glenn McHood issued a BOLO notice, which means ''be on the lookout,'' to the troopers in his area. In an interview with THP investigators, McHood said he noted that the green station wagon ''could possibly'' have been involved in a robbery.

Right there is the screw up.
That's what the cop heard on his radio.
How do you expect him to behave?

[muawiyah]

Or, how many brain cells does it take to assist one in remembering to NOT put one's wallet on top of the car and then drive off!

Still trying to figure that one out. Maybe this guy ought to start carrying a purse, or maybe a suitcase so that he doesn't fail to notice it.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yep, in retrospect, probably not. But like I said before that makes you a monday morning quarterback. And in reality we don't know that the dog wasn't trying to get to the cop to chew on him in defense of his family.....now do we?

Did you examine the video tape? There were at least three armed LEOS on scene, one with a shotgun trained on the family members/vehicle. The *family member suspects* were basically already neutralized, on their knees and being cuffed. A small dog exits the vehicle and this LEO blows it's head off, the shotgun blast caused the other LEOs to all jump, as if they were under attack.

Let me tell you something pal, these family members came very close to being all shot to death. Don't you realize that a gun shot being fired at a critical time could cause all or some of the LEOS on the scene to unload on the suspects? Happens all the time.

The LEO that killed the dog is an idiot, and almost caused his partners to kill off this family.

All for what? Being afraid of a minor bite from a small dog?

[smith288]

>>I like dogs more than cops.

and they are smarter too...

The by all means never accept police protection or call 911 when needed.

[American Blood]

You don't like any cops? Not even the ones who protect and serve in ways that make us all proud. What about the cops that died in the WTC attacks? You hate them too? I'm just trying to understand. I can see railing against the small percentage of crooked, unethical cops, but to lump all of them in the same category makes no sense.

[Hatteras]

That's all well and good with your neighbor's English Bulldog. However, this is not an English Bulldog in this story. Right now, all we can tell from what has been wriiten and seen on tape is that this dog is somewhere between the Smoak's description of a "mixed breed bulldog" and the cops description of a "pitbull". To say there is any comparison between an English Bulldog and the Smoak's dog in the video is wrong. If what they did have was, in fact, a pitbull then you're comparing night and day.

[motzman]

All for what? Being afraid of a minor bite from a small dog?

And that's the main point, Joe. Good 'ole Roscoe P. Coltrane almost got himself and a lot of innocent people killed because of his improper discharge of a firearm. What the Hell was this wipe doing with a shotgun anyway when it was clear that there was no threat present?

Cops piss me off too, but there are the good and the bad. The defenders of the bad cops actually hurt the good cops...

[kako]

McHood said he noted that the green station wagon ''could possibly'' have been involved in a robbery.

The phrase "could possibly" also means "possibly not".

The car "could possibly" have contained nuns or "could possibly" have been merely involved in transporting vacationers to or from home.

Had the dispatchers told the cops the car "was positively" involved in a violent crime then they had reason to make a felony stop. Otherwise, I'd say they didn't, especially since there is no actual crime that they were suspected of being involved in.

Even if they had reason to pull a felony stop, their refusal to close the door despite pleas from the Smoaks puts a lot of responsibility on the patrol officers.

[johnny7]

Totally insane...

Yes, it was. One morning I was jumped by 5 Rotweiller pups... up to 50 lbs. apiece.

Did I pull my firearm? No. They were just loose.

This cop isn't fit to wear a badge. Why didn't he use his club if he was so scared?

I feel sorry for the family. LE at its dirty best.

Cuff them on their knees in the road and blow the head off their pet.

[Hatteras]

"All for what? Being afraid of a minor bite from a small dog?"

Have you ever seen what kind of minor bite a small dog such as a forty-pound pitbull can inflict?

[fogarty]

You're right, we should give police officer the benefit of the doubt - in a previous age we might have. We should respect the justice system and the LEO's that serve. This officer should be held accountable The problem is, this officer will not be held accountable. And this is not bias; this is confirmed by similar events like this that has happened in the past 20 years - the officers get slapped on the wrist and the citizens pay. This is not irrational. It is based on the facts of what I have seen happening all across the country. Out of how many cases where LEOs wrongfully gunned down innocent people or family pets were those LEO's put in jail or disciplined? How many were simply slapped on the wrist and given a different beat?

When the police are held to a different set of laws that citizens are, there is injustice. Does anyone here doubt that if the situation was such that a citizen had killed a police dog, that the citizen would be in jail for a long time?

[FreeTally]

What the Hell was this wipe doing with a shotgun anyway when it was clear that there was no threat present?

The guy probably would have never become a cop if he didn't have the power to play with his toys whenever he wanted to.

I've seen all sorts of "cop" shows on TV like "Cops", "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol", "Worlds Greatest this and thats" etc. On every one, they show footage of where 10-20 cops show up to deal with one armed man. Even after he is aprehended most are still walking around with guns, shotguns and rifle up and ready to go as if they are on some battlefield. Its pathetic. Its a show of power by a bunch of cowards.

[mg39]

"You don't like any cops? Not even the ones who protect and serve in ways that make us all proud. What about the cops that died in the WTC attacks? You hate them too? I'm just trying to understand. I can see railing against the small percentage of crooked, unethical cops, but to lump all of them in the same category makes no sense."

I like my cop friend, but then I've gotten to know him, and he's gotten to know me. Plus, he's retired. I never had to deal with him on a civilian-cop level.

The cops who died in the WTC, and those others who die helping people, are to be commended. However, having lived in New York City for some time, I can tell you that those cops who died in the WTC were probably like the other cops I encountered in New York: stupid, rude, not particularly helpful.

A paradox? Maybe. Reality -- from my experience with cops, yes.

[fogarty]

"The by all means never accept police protection or call 911 when needed. "

Call 911 if you need to people to clean-up and take evidence after the rape, murder, robbery, etc.

If you want to truly protect yourself and your property, get yourself a firearm.

[FreeTally]

It wasn't and f'ing pitbull. Stop saying that. Only the idiot cop who is trying to cover his ass said that because ignorant people think all pitbulls are some crazed, violent creature. Three cops can deal with a dog without shooting it first.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Risking death every day? ROFLMAO.

As far as I'm concerned, they would get a lot more respect if we took the guns from the front line cops, and allowed them only billy clubs, pepper spray and stun guns.

The number of people and pets shot by poorly trained, incompetent thugs who generally don't need guns anyway would go way down - and you could have a well trained squad on constant duty for those situations where guns ARE necessary.

[motzman]

The reason I mentioned it was an English bulldog is because the breed was referenced on the thread. The dog that was shot was small, non-threating, and playful.

The most important skills any officer has are his powers of observation and his judgement. Good judgement means good cop. This officer has betrayed the public trust and has demonstrated his extreme lack of judgement. Apparently, this wasn't the first time. It doesn't bother you that this jerk had a shotgun out? What would have happened if a passing car had a blowout, and "Officer Friendly" started doing his invasion of Normandy interpretation? It was painfully obvious that the people in the car posed no threat, and in fact, had been neutralized. The shottie should have been secured. The car door should never have been opened until the officers were able to make a plan to neutralize the dog.

I know a few very good cops, and a few "not-so-good". Don't defend bad cops. The good ones don't; I'll follow their lead.

Interesting thread....