Town pays $40,000 after cop shoots pet

[orygun]

This is a tough deal and without knowing the whole story, it's hard to judge.
In the (supposed) eyes of the law, a dog is property, just like a cow, horse, pig, car, house, fence, etc, and is valued like one.
The dog can be replaced with $$. Even the best dog, from great working or show bloodlines, can be replaced in the 4 figure range.
I've owned dogs my entire life. You can't put a price on how much I loved each and every one...
I think the large judgement is in reference to the fact that it wasn't a justifiable shooting and the city was accepting responsibility for that.
I'm kinda thinkin that cop should have been the one responsible. The city may want to keep an eye on him.

 

[orygun]

I have that one on ignore, so all I see is the name. What is all this referring to.

Taku, this is exactly why I don't use the "ignore list". I have a "mental ignore list" of people that strike me in the wrong way. I don't have to read what they posted, but it's better that it's my choice than the computers.

FYI, a cop shooting at my dog is likely to end up on the wrong one of a bullet himself.

 

[U201491]

Taku, this is exactly why I don't use the "ignore list". I have a "mental ignore list" of people that strike me in the wrong way. I don't have to read what they posted, but it's better that it's my choice than the computers.

FYI, a cop shooting at my dog is likely to end up on the wrong one of a bullet himself.

I have several on that list. Usually I get the gist of what people are saying but this one seemed cryptic.
Naw I'll keep em there they earned it.

 

[10010110]

When an individual name calls, hurls insults, doesn't answer questions and pose questions, etc. they are not trying to be intellectual and understand something and use their human ability to learn, but rather they are interested in yelling as loud as they can over everyone for various reasons, none of which are good.

Many pets are more than a price tag and can't be replaced. The perception is from the pet guardian, not from the rest of the world. Truth isn't dictated by numbers, so one can't fall back on "well the majority of people say so" and be right.

Cops often times shoot animals as a shock factor to the party they are attacking. If it's not premeditated, then they shouldn't be a cop and have a mentality of shoot anything that moves. It really is that simple. How do so many post office and utility workers deal with homes, far more than cops, and never shoot animals? I suspect it has to do with the mindset, and the fact that police via The State (other humans) have a monopoly on violence as imposed by their violence, thus there isn't much reason to perform better or lose business.

 

[IronMonster]

My dog is not my property, she is my friend. She spends far more time with me than my wife or kids. I talk to her more than I talk to all humans combined. If a person shot her needlessly I would be devastated. $40,000.00 would not begin to be satisfactory compensation for the hurt caused even if it had to come out of the shooters pay. I have had quite a number of dogs, probably a dozen over the last 40 years, I have never bonded with one like I have her. I would put myself in harms way to protect her even if it meant standing between her and a guy with a badge and gun and I am sure she would do the same for me.

 

[The Heretic]

As the woman said, it wasn't about money. It was about changing how the LEOs handle these situations - sometimes negative reinforcement (punishment) is needed to change human behavior. A gov. entity will take notice when it impacts their budget.

For some people their pets are akin to their children (although I doubt that they feel as much grief when a pet dies as they do when a child dies, and pet deaths are a lot more common since they are typically a short lived by comparison), so don't belittle people for wanting to punish someone for killing them for little to no reason.

In at least some of these cases the impact is wider than just the individuals involved; as noted, law enforcement is increasingly getting a bad reputation, which makes their job harder, not easier.

The whole thing of courts and legislature enacting laws giving LEOs more and more power to trample people's rights in the name of making the job of LEOs "easier" does just the opposite. Where we used to encourage cooperation with LEOs we now have lawyers and others advocating (and rightly so) non-cooperation. Where we have had LEOs adopting an "us vs. them" attitude, we are seeing the same thing in law abiding citizens.

I would assert this is at best an unintentional side effect of politicians and bureaucrats seeking more power and budget, at worst an intentional result.

 

[Sstrand]

Heretic
YOU ARE WRONG . . .it IS intentional!!!

Sheldon

 

[mkwerx]

Maybe there should be an experiment of disarming the average patrol cops for a month - keep SWAT armed (and on a leash!) in case of serious incidents requiring armed response. Let the cops keep their batons, their chem spray, and maybe a Taser. Maybe instead of so many cops being quick to aggression and using force, they would quickly realize that in the average situation, they're far better off using their brain and their words to resolve a situation, instead of the lead slinger on their hip.

In the past I've been a bigger supporter of LEOs, hell it was my career dream for many years. Anymore though - with all of the stories of police abuse coming to light, the seeming increase in unjustified use of force incidents - from shooting people's pets to beating unarmed and uncombative people (sometimes to death) to shooting people for no good reason (see the unarmed old dude shot in the back as he ran from police back east) - my general support for LE is waning. They have a function - yes. I think their function needs to be reigned in, their authority more restricted, their use of force more restricted (though I think better training, better leadership, and better candidate selection would accomplish this far better than any policy mandate or law could) - the police have transformed from peace officers to "law enforcement officers" - and this change in mindset has not benefitted the public.

Image is part of it - attitude is another part of it. Even the local cops here in Forest Grove look like SWAT cops from your pick of 80's or 90's TV shows and magazines. External body armor carriers, chest mounted pouches for mags/radios. M4's in the rifle rack. Everything is all black to boot except that shiny piece of tin on their shoulder. THe cars are black. Cornelius is similar - tho it's run by the Sheriff's Offfice - the deputies assigned to the city wear a black uniform instead of the tan the regular deputies wear. Hillsboro PD is like Forest Grove - external armor/carriers - very military looking. The image they project is "I'll beat your bubblegum" - not "I'm here to help."

Don't get me wrong, I've had no negative encounters with these agencies and they're staffed by mostly good, honest guys. But between the all black cars, the all black ninja suits, and the constant barrage of bad press - the local cops aren't terribly approachable. I think the ninja get up also has an effect on the wearer's attitude. Everything, even their thinking seems "tactical" oriented, not necessarily "practical."

Rudy Guilani's "broken window" approach to cleaning up his city made New York a safer place when he left office than it was when he took office. Maybe we - the citizenry - should demand a "broken window" model of police reform. Stop tolerating the small abuses of power and authority, make smaller changes such as the vehicles driven, uniforms worn, maybe even down to some of the weapons authorized/used. As was referenced in another thread on here about the police killing a suicidal man - "it doesn't matter if the bullet is fired from a handgun or a rifle, the end result is the same" - cops don't *need* AR15's and 30 round mags. Maybe they can get by again with a vanilla wooden stocked Remington 870 12 gauge if a long arm is needed. Maybe instead of 16 - 18 rounds in their Glocks, they roll out with 6 in a Smith & Wesson or Ruger revolver, or maybe give in a bit and limit them to single stack automatics with 8 rounds or less, like the nitwits running New York want. Bring back the blue suits and put away the black pajamas. Chiefs of police always want to talk about "community policing" - make them actually DO IT. Be active in the community in a positive manner, make them be approachable and accountable to the citizens.

Hold the cops accountable for their actions - and not just to the point that the department - IE the TAX PAYERS - shell out 5-6 or 7 figures when a cop screws up. Hold the individual cop personally responsible for any civil judgement against them, and maybe it's time to get rid of them if they are found liable in a civil case for violating someone's rights, regardless of how minor the infraction. Make the judgement stick like a student loan - can't get rid of it via bankruptcy. Make them repay their debts! The government and their agents are big on pushing zero tolerance when it comes to how they treat us - it's time they get the same from us.

It's really tiring seeing story after story about the abuse of the citizenry by those paid to protect it.

 

[The Heretic]

First - declare that the "war on drugs" is a failure and never should have been started. Gov. has no business protecting people from themselves, putting people in prison for using or possessing drugs.

Drug decriminalization will stop a LOT of drug crime and violence. Drug dealers are in the business for profit, not because they like people using drugs. Remove the profit by making common recreational drugs available OTC for the price of aspirin and you will see most drug crime disappear. It would also stop drug corruption in LE and bureaucrats (which is the real reason why those in power want to keep it going; they make as much money from drugs as the dealers).

Second - demilitarize LEOs.

Third - create warrant squads that server existing warrants on known repeat criminals. You can usually find them at home. It is a well known fact that less than 20% of criminals commit 80% of the crime. Most have outstanding warrants against them. All that is needed is to find them and serve the warrant.