Definitely. It's sad that it has to spread like that for it to become a problem to the general public. I honestly can't say how many episodes I've watched of Cops where some of the force used by the police was completely unnecessary. I'm not a LEO or anything so I could be misreading it. My family has struggled a lot with a lack of protection and support from law enforcement so I grew up not seeing them in a bright light.

I've since learned better, especially after taking a criminal justice class and meeting some awesome people from all over; police officers, bounty hunters, prison guards and counselors, etc. The majority really are good people!

 Quote: Katie Finlay

The majority really are good people!

The majority are, and of course many good cops are killed each year by the loonie tunes out there. This is an unfortunate incident - one would hope the perpetrators (in this case the cops) get what they deserve out of this deal.

 Quote: katie finlay

Definitely. It's sad that it has to spread like that for it to become a problem to the general public. I honestly can't say how many episodes I've watched of Cops where some of the force used by the police was completely unnecessary. I'm not a LEO or anything so I could be misreading it. My family has struggled a lot with a lack of protection and support from law enforcement so I grew up not seeing them in a bright light.

I've since learned better, especially after taking a criminal justice class and meeting some awesome people from all over; police officers, bounty hunters, prison guards and counselors, etc. The majority really are good people!

I know what you mean.

I also understand that they're doing a difficult job, that's often without support from the community, working long stressful hours, dealing with the dregs of society, and dealing with real life gore. They're people and they want to get back home to see their families. When working in a violent area, I can only assume their reactions get as jacked up as those they "hunt" as a form of self preservation that can then become twisted into them becoming what they hate.

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."
-Nietzshe

Again I don't believe that this event was justified based upon the results that were gained. I hate that this family's pet had to die, I hate that the best that they got out of this was a misdemeanor, and I hate that shoddy investigation has again lead to an event such as this. HOWEVER, if you flip the other side of the coin and consider the event from the police's angle.

Dispatched on a drug raid for what you believe is a pot distribution operation.
Don't know if there is weapons in the house.
Don't know if the suspect is dangerous.
Burst in through the door, hear a dog barking aggressively in what was likely a dimly lit room.
less than 5 seconds to your shoot/don't shoot decision.

We can say what we want about serving and protecting being priority one but in the end I'm pretty sure those officers want to go home at the end of the night. We buried a lot of very fine officers here within the last year (I guess we're #1 in officer deaths for last year), we have an active manhunt for a murder here tonight related to a home invasion. I know who is coming to my rescue when I need help. While I feel for the guy who sadly lost his dog, feel horrid for the dog that died, and the one who got shot, his behavior is what lead the police to his door and based on what the guy said it probably wasn't the first time they were there.

Save your outrage for those who truly did nothing wrong.

Actions like this need to be questioned.

edit:
I'd also like to point out that the OP of this topic has more than enough credibility to be outraged.

Unbelievable.

That's just awful.

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/02/29/6-car-crash/

Here's another story starring this guy. If you search his record he's got 4 other arrests. Two related to DWI and the other two sadly without charging docs online. Again, I mourn for the dog, am sad for the kid but at least the guy was breaking the law... even if it was just pot.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/07/mayor.warrant/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OPv_1YpqWQ
Perhaps this is a more worthy story? At least in this story the police delivered the drugs themselves before shooting the dogs.

 Quote: Melissa Thom

Again I don't believe that this event was justified based upon the results that were gained. I hate that this family's pet had to die, I hate that the best that they got out of this was a misdemeanor, and I hate that shoddy investigation has again lead to an event such as this. HOWEVER, if you flip the other side of the coin and consider the event from the police's angle.

Dispatched on a drug raid for what you believe is a pot distribution operation.
Don't know if there is weapons in the house.
Don't know if the suspect is dangerous.
Burst in through the door, hear a dog barking aggressively in what was likely a dimly lit room.
less than 5 seconds to your shoot/don't shoot decision.

We can say what we want about serving and protecting being priority one but in the end I'm pretty sure those officers want to go home at the end of the night. We buried a lot of very fine officers here within the last year (I guess we're #1 in officer deaths for last year), we have an active manhunt for a murder here tonight related to a home invasion. I know who is coming to my rescue when I need help. While I feel for the guy who sadly lost his dog, feel horrid for the dog that died, and the one who got shot, his behavior is what lead the police to his door and based on what the guy said it probably wasn't the first time they were there.

Save your outrage for those who truly did nothing wrong.

Melissa,
Have you done any dynamic entry mission under dangerous conditions? I'm thinking that you haven't.
I have, and I played by the rules of engagement, and no one that was innocent suffered.
And I feel qualified to judge those who screw up and make the public suffer.

I put my ass on the line for 7 years as an LEO and 21 years in Special Forces in multiple wars, so thanks, but I'll hold onto my outrage over crap like *this*.
This was bad police work, plain and simple.

I'm not sure many things tug the heart strings more than a dog yelping in pain (after people)...And boy does it make me angry when I see these stories of seemingly trigger-happy cops shooting pets.

However, I'm not the one putting my life on the line every day at work. Can you imagine putting your life on the line for some kind of goddamn pothead? Pardon my language! I think it's reasonable to have rules we can all live by...including cops. But they quite understandably would probably like to keep the odds in favor of their going home that night. Just sayin'.

Melissa,
I agree that the Maryland case should be always remembered, but if that hadn't involved the mayor, would it have it been swept under the rug? Likely so.

And as far as the other guy breaking the law.......Kill his pets over some joints? Really? How about gunning down a jay walker - after all, they'd be "breaking the law". Or maybe cut off a shoplifter's hands?
What are we - a third world banana republic?

I think that you need to look up the term "slippery slope", and maybe the term "equal protection under the law", while you're at it.