Two More Enraging Cop Stories

[Hyena Dandy]

Okay, I'll give you that. I didn't bother with the video because I figured it would just be rehashing what the article said. That's a big pup.

That said, I stand by my original statement. If I was at a friends house and shot their dog the minute it ran up to me, I'd probably get jail time. It also sets a scary precident, that the cops can trespass and be justified in shooting anything seen as a threat.

You would be arrested if you shot your friend's dog the moment you entered the house. Because you would be in a situation where you have a reasonable expectation of safety. Your friend has invited you into their home. They are, as I said, your friend, so you reasonably believe that they know a dog that's in their home, and that they would not have invited you in if they believed the dog would attack, or they would take measures to protect you. If the dog is likely to attack, they might say "He's fine if you don't startle him" and try to usher the dog away.

In this situation, the police were chasing someone, through a yard they had never been in. Unlike a situation like yours, they had no way of knowing what steps to take around this dog. They had no way to know if it was friendly. They didn't have the option of walking calmly, they were chasing someone. And while the dog may have been barreling towards them to jump up and give them kisses, or because it thought "Hey, runny people, they must wanna play!" They couldn't tell. They did what they probably felt necessary to protect themselves, and given the information they had, it was a good choice. I'm sure they're pretty shaken up too.

I like dogs. I like dogs a lot. I often hear about police officers shooting dogs in a situation that it seems unwarranted. If this was my dog, I'd be terribly distraught. But if I was a police officer in that situation, I'd likely have done the same thing.

[Rageaholic]

Definitely the degree of the offense should have an impact on whether (or how far) the chase happens. If the guy being chased had run out of a bank where the silent alarm had been sounded (i.e. suspect in an armed robbery), that's a LOT more serious than a guy who's walking down the street smoking a joint, and takes off when he sees a cop approaching.

I'd be PISSED if my pet were killed as a result of a chase that started over "possession of pot in personal-use quantities".

I'm wondering what the suspect they were chasing was accused of. I doubt it was anything that serious because wouldn't that have made the news too? Probably just some guy trying to outrun a traffic stop.

I'm surprised so many here are defending the cops. On the articles and on a youtube video, the commentors were just as pissed as I was. Shooting the dog was an extreme move. Pepper spraying wouldn't have been ideal, but at least it wouldn't have killed the dog.

[TheHuckster]

I'm wondering what the suspect they were chasing was accused of. I doubt it was anything that serious because wouldn't that have made the news too? Probably just some guy trying to outrun a traffic stop.

That's baseless speculation. He definitely wasn't on America's Most Wanted list, but one can be a dangerous suspect on the run without it always getting on the news. Any suspect who is outrunning a traffic stop is a dangerous fugitive. If they're willing to risk their own and others lives by recklessly driving to evade the police, then even after they run on foot, they've already proven their danger to people around them, even if it's out of carelessness or disregard for others' lives.

I'm not going to claim that the police weren't in the wrong (or the right) here. I just can't make such a conclusion until I understand the circumstances behind who they were chasing. It's premature to judge the police who need to do their jobs because, guess what? While there are bad police officers who have a serious problem in positions of power, there are plenty of good police officers, and there are bad criminals out there who these good police officers need to catch.

I'm surprised so many here are defending the cops. On the articles and on a youtube video, the commentors were just as pissed as I was.

Of course, because everyone on YouTube agrees with you, it means we must. Have you seen typical YouTube and article comments? I wouldn't compare yourself to many of those champions of debate and reasoning. I've seen commenters there claim animal abuse if they saw a video of a cat jumping off a coffee table and faceplanting on the ground, saying the owner should have prevented such a dangerous stunt.

Hell, I avoid article and YouTube debates like the plague, hence why I appreciate forums like these where people discuss things reasonably and with a little bit of thought. Arguing that "other people on the interwebs agree with me" to defend your point is meaningless.

[Gravekeeper]

The problem is that the crime the suspect may have committed is a moot point, because the act of fleeing from an officer in and of itself can or already is a felony. The flight itself is a serious crime and thus the suspect becomes a serious criminal once they take off. They have to treat every chase like a felony.

If they didn't chase a suspect because he was just <insert minor crime here> and that suspect ended up hurting someone or causing damage while fleeing or hiding out, guess whose ass is on the line and who would be tarred and feathered by the public the next day? The cops. Damned if you do damned if you don't.

As for shooting the dog, thats difficult because don't have a lot of details beyond the tragedy porn being fed up by the media. Missing from the original article is the why of the chase ( The suspect was involved in a fight/assault so he's not fleeing on something innoculous ) as well as the fact the owners were aware enough of their "puppy's" demeanour to have a Beware of Dog sign to warn neighbours. Add that to the fact the dog actually took a round and kept coming after the cop and things get a bit more grey.

Legally speaking, a dog IS a deadly weapon and the officer did react accordingly. The debate really falls down to whether or not he had sufficient enough time to use an alternative means. If you charge an officer with a knife by surprise and only give him 3 or 4 seconds to react, you're going to get shot too.

Any dog can inflict serious damage, but lock jaw bite and shake / fighting breed dogs like pit bulls and pit bull crosses especially. I won't touch the Great Pit Bull Debate in regards to their temperment. But from a strictly physical stand point they, and similar breeds, can deal considerable and easily fatal damage. Most breeds bite and retreat. Fighting/hunting breeds bite, lock and shake. Hence they cause the vast majority of fatal dog attacks. So I can't really fault a cop for being jumpy.

There is one person in this mess that's getting away blame free: The suspect. He's the asshole that caused this entire mess. The officer and the dog are essentially an immovable object and an irresitable force. Something bad is going to happen either way if they suddenly encounter each other. It was the suspect that caused the encounter.

[Hyena Dandy]

If they didn't chase a suspect because he was just <insert minor crime here> and that suspect ended up hurting someone or causing damage while fleeing or hiding out, guess whose ass is on the line and who would be tarred and feathered by the public the next day? The cops. Damned if you do damned if you don't.

In Massachusetts, the rules say that if the cops don't believe the person has committed or intends to commit a violent offense, not to pursue, because pursuit puts more people in danger. A lot of people run from cops because they're instinctively scared. So yeah, what he was in trouble for kinda is something I'd consider important. Nevertheless, what the police did isn't a problem, because that was what you'd have to do. Pepper spray is less sure, and also, it's a dog. You're going to pepper spray a dog and hope that it gets less angry? The dog won't get less angry, you've now gone from "Hey does this guy wanna play?" to "OH JESUS HE ATTACKED ME WITH A SPRAY CAN OF PAIN!"

A taser maybe, but honestly, I don't blame the person who saw a dog running at them and shot at it. The blame lies, as much as it does with anyone, on the suspect.

[s_stabeler]

The problem is that the crime the suspect may have committed is a moot point, because the act of fleeing from an officer in and of itself can or already is a felony. The flight itself is a serious crime and thus the suspect becomes a serious criminal once they take off. They have to treat every chase like a felony.

yes and no. what we are saying is that if the suspect had committed a minor crime, ( for the sake of argument we'll say vandalism) then the police should have broken off the chase instead of risking the dog attacking them.

[Hyena Dandy]

The police didn't know about the dog. If their department rules say chase everyone I blame the department not then.