[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
I’m not reading these posts b/c I’m sure more than a few will piss me off and get me off the point I wish to make. First, I think this kid was reacting like anyone would react to being attacked by an angry dog; “get the fuck off me”. I understand the K9 “officer” is a member of LEO, but that “member” of LEO is not a thinking member of LEO. That dog is programmed to seek out and attack an alleged criminal. There is no warning, no put your hands up, no halt, nothing except an attack which is a bite.
I think a bite in and of itself is probably more times than not excessive force. I think it’s a perfectly natural reaction to want to get a dog off you and I don’t believe for one minute this kid (a jerkoff no doubt) was trying to kill this dog - he was quite naturally trying to get this dog to stop biting him. But leave it to the good folks of our law enforcement community to charge the kid with the highest crime they can, with the idea to throw it against the wall and see if it sticks. Never mind his intent, never mind the facts, never mind that he was being bitten and attacked and reacted quite naturally. To hell with common sense, an “officer” has fallen. Bullshit.
I certainly appreciate working dogs. I probably appreciate them more than anyone else here because working dogs are my life and I view them to be special. They are the best of the best at their “vocation” whether that vocation be hunting or guarding and other jobs in between. A dog with a job that does it well, is an exception and is special. That said, they are dogs and the police department is using that dog as a “tool” to get a job done, the same way a hunter uses a dog to “hunt”.
In both instances, you place that dog’s life in peril and he is no longer a “pet” or a part of your family, he is most definitely a means to an end. You wouldn’t enlist your child to go apprehend criminals or do bomb sniffing, so let’s dispense with the illusion of the K9 dog as a member of your family. I don’t care if they go home at night with the officer or not.
This kid is a jerkoff. He’s been in trouble before. He had a promising football career and fucked that up. This is his second robbery charge. He deserves to be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his robbery, fleeing, and resisting arrest. He does not deserve the enhanced charge for “cruelty to animals” and otherwise causing the death of this police dog…a dog that was most assuredly biting his ass, and biting it well.
I really think this country needs to review the manner in which it uses police dogs. Personally, I think they should be on lead in all but the most extreme instances. Because when you set one loose, it will usually result in an attack and I think that can be excessive.
You do NOT want to be bitten by an attack trained canine. Trust me. It would not be pleasant. Getting bitten should not be part of being arrested. I understand the kid ran, but you can run from a human officer and when you’re caught, part of the apprehension is not getting your ass kicked if you submit (legally that is; we know in practice a roughing up may ensue, but it’s illegal).
Imagine being attacked by a dog, being bitten, and it is painful, and it’s handler is nowhere in site. What would your reaction be? To lay down and submit while the dog continued to bite you? Or, would you “resist” in an act of self-preservation.
Before anyone jumps in and tells me about these magical dogs that will bark unless you try to run, trust me, it don’t work like that in the field. These dogs are biting people. If you’re going to let a dog bite someone, there should be a HUMAN OFFICER at the end of the lead to control the dog. This kid robbed a chinese take out place. He didn’t murder someone. I’m not so sure we needed to “loose the hounds of hell” upon he and his accomplice.[/quote]
This has been the best response by far. The kid got hit by the same car at the same time as the dog. He was trying to get the dog off him and the car hit both of them. How they charge him with cruelty to animals is beyond my comprehension.
I love dogs too and wish I had the time to care for and get one for myself. But if I’m getting bit by one in the middle of a busy road, I’d do the same thing as this scumbag.
