You got to read this. Unbelievable!!!http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/09/police.kill.dog/index.html

It was a tragic incident, one i'm sure everyone involved wishes didn't happen. Before you judge the officers involved too harshly, I would ask that you think of a couple of things. One how many of you have made a felony stop, at night with a car containing 3 people. Remember, the Trooper and officers involved can only go on the information they recieve. The information they recieved, which is on audio tape, was a car, traveling in excess of 110mph with money flying out of it. The don't have the luxury of an intelligent discussion around a morning cup of coffee. The decision an officer makes is often times, split second, and can and has meant the difference between life and death. Yes, mixed communications played a part. That of course is found out afterward. Police have thousands of interactions with the public on a daily basis. Only very few make the news, even fewer make the national news. A traveling innocent citizen that loses a dog to gunfire from police is certainly a feeding frenzy for the media. Tragic yes, unavoidable, I don't know I wasn't there. Regrettable, absolutely. One thing I do know, the citzens and the Trooper and officers involved did go home when the shift was over. That is always the first rule of business

DFrost

I agree with David Frost. Often what people say the dog is doing and what is happening really are often not the same. Still, the officers should have used their heads and closed the door to the car.

The officer is at fault but not for shooting the dog. God knows even service k-9 handlers are at first unable to distinguish dog behavior on the fly. Not to mention this officer is in the end human with human fears. He may or may not have any dog experience.

This officer is at fault for not being 'clear in the head' during a felony stop only.

The officer used a SHOTGUN to kill a bull dog? According to this, there were more than 4 officers at the scene...surely one of the officers would have thought to close the door? After all, I doubt the police apprehending a vehicle suspected of car jacking are not thinking about what's in the car and making a decision about what to do? You can't tell me they got the family out and then simply FORGOT about the two dogs in the car, who were probably barking at the same time....with all those officers, wouldn't one of them think to close the door? and using a SHOTGUN to kill a bull dog? pitiful!

Wow!
That is really scary. Thank God the family was so cooperative with the police.

How could the message have gotten so screwed up that the owner of the wallet was the robber of the wallet and the registered owner of the car?

This just shows how important it is that EVERYBODY in the line of communication needs to stay calm and get their facts straight.

I find it hard to understand why the officers wouldn't want to close the car doors (after looking in ,which they did) to contain the "threat" of the dogs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Hind dight is always 20:20. then the armchair quarterbacks go to work.
I have been on scene for many situations in which law enforcement has had to put down dogs.
The dynamics of such circumstances are extensive and the need for decision immidiate. LEO's do this based on the perspective they have at the time and the expereince and training they have received.
Citizens receive half information from the media, half of which is generally wrong. From this and statements of the plaintiff's and their attorneys they draw conclusions. Often without the benefit of all the actual facts.
In this case who knows what happened. I'm not going to second guess nor blindly support the actions taken. But, I do have enough experience with felony captures, dogs, and the media to be very wary of the information.

Charlie - can you give a link to the video on CNN?

<<Hadley asked: Link to CNN Video??>> The video can be found at the CNN site listed at the start of this topic.

It is also at this newspaper's website. (it is about 1:20 long.)
Tennessean Newspaper Web Site

This board is not the place to discuss who was right or wrong in this incident. A discussion on controlling animals during traffic stops would be more appropriate.

This will be a serious CLM for all involved. For the family, a traumatic tragedy that should not have happened. If I were counsel for THP or Cookeville, I would do whatever it took to keep the resulting suit from going to trial. Following procedures or not, you don't want this one to get in front of a jury.

Thanks Charlie.