On the night before Chriistmas Eve at about 10:00pm my wife, mother in law and two daughters were returning from last minute shopping when they saw a man beating a dog in a dark, almost empty parking lot. They turned around and went back to figure out what was going on and maybe get a tag number or description of the man. Imagine their surprise when they realized it was a K9 Officer and his 'partner' in the parking lot. My wife and daughters love all animals. One daughter won't kill a spider, she'll scream as she takes it ouside! They were afraid to confront the cop. I guess if it had been me, I'd have ended up in jail for beating a cop for beating his dog. The next morning I called the sheriff and related what they had seen. He assured me that he would personally look into it. Several people have told me that we need file a formal complaint. I don't know whether or not we should. I think I'll wait and see if the sheriff really does anything. Our county has only one K9 officer so it shouldn't be hard for the sheriff to do something, especially with four witnesses.
The officer should be given the same treatment.
I bet I know what happened. The police dog finished in the bottom half of his class, as did the cop. When the cop looked just so in the side view mirror on the cruiser he declared that the mirror made his butt look big and the dog said to him, "No, it's not the mirror. It actually looks much bigger in real life." And the fight was on.........................
"I don't know whether or not we should."
Really? That is beyond astounding...
Technically your tax money payed for that K9 and pays to keep it fed and well cared for. I'd say that makes it your dog so why wouldn't you file a formal complaint?
If you go the formal complaint route besides animal cruelty, there is assault of a police officer (which the dog is). That should get somebody's attention.
very odd... was there a squad car there? or just a guy and a dog? I wouldn't have confronted him either, clearly armed and dangerous. Too bad they didn't call 9-11, though, at least there would be a record of it. I would go file a formal complaint and not wait for the cops to handle it internally. just my .02.
You know what you should do, but is it worth the price?
You have to decide whether you are willing to have an officer, in what appears to be a small community, who holds a grudge and will spend all the time he can watching for a chance to write you tickets or worse. And a person of the character we seem to be discussing would have no qualms about misreading his radar.
My hesitation about filing a formal complaint is because I'm hoping the sheriff will take care of it. If he does, then why should I set my family up to be harrassed? The last time I filed one (different sheriff then) I was harassed. One of my crews was even harrassed.
anyone who lives in a small town should understand your hesitation, let the Sheriff handle it. If you see it again, file a formal complaint.
Take it to the court of public opinion...
sic the local news on the story...
that would work around here a lot better than the "Mr.-Citizen-clearly-misunderstood what-he-saw" report that would be generated by the "good old boy" constabulatory regime.
"The last time I filed one (different sheriff then) I was harassed."
You need to relocate immediately.
Take it to the court of public opinion...
That would be very effective if they had a camera along and took a video of it.
That is easier said than done.
You have to remember that the police have the right to lie, pressure and intimidate you until your story matches theirs or your high dollar, far away out of town, lawyer, who has bigger friends than the local yokels, arrives.
Check your client list to see if there is anyone you could mention it to.
0.02
