The Free View-- weblog of a presidential candidate: Why Police Should Not Have More Power (Reason #701685)

January 07, 2003

Why Police Should Not Have More Power (Reason #701685)

I get pretty upset when I hear that a person's dog got killed in a police raid. I don't care what the person did; dogs are innocent victims who have no way to compose a rational response to such a situation. Which is to say, there's no way they could know they should stand down when cops are around. Any dog with half its wits is going to growl and/or act erratically when faced with big, forceful strange men and women speaking or shouting in stern voices and grabbing their owner(s).

I get even more upset when the dog gets killed in a raid that's a mistake -- a raid on an innocent person. I can only begin to imagine the outrage and pain a person who was subjected to that must feel. (Not to mention the suffering the dog feels, and all the happiness it will never have.)

I get even more upset when the dog gets killed because the police ignored the pleas from the owner to close the car doors so the dogs wouldn't get out.

And, assuming I've got any more room for upsetness, I get even more upset when all this takes place because a bunch of idiots had their heads up their asses and their wires crossed, resulting in a family being handcuffed on their knees behind their car, and forced to watch, helpless, while the then-inevitable played out, and their dog growled his way to a sudden case of having his head blown off-- all for the crime of leaving a wallet on the roof of the car at the gas station.

You may have gathered by now that I'm not talking in general any more.

Meet the Smoak family. Guilty of the felony offense of having a wallet fly off of their car, the Smoaks have joined the rapidly-growing ranks of innocent folks who know what it's like to be on the wrong end of the long arm of the law.

I'm unable to give an objective account of what happened to them, so you'll just have to read it for yourself. I've given some pretty good hints so far though. The link above goes to a main page where stories seem to be collecting as the news unfolds. There you can read the original story which got me fired up -- 'Felony stop' leaves family traumatized -- and the more recent stories of the police officers rationalizing what they did.

To be fair, it sounds like the (local police) officer who shot the dog was a victim of the situation as well, and it sounds like the State Highway Patrol is to blame for creating the situation itself-- the felony stop that never should have been, and the open car doors and unheard Smoak pleas. But how much consolation is that to the Smoaks? My guess is somewhere around zero.

Although it's almost a secondary issue considering the grand amount of incompetence involved in this particular mishap, here's my two cents on the issue of dogs as innocent victims of police raids. I'll keep it short:

Tranquilizers. Stun guns. A big slab of steak. There are other ways to stop a dog.

(I've since posted update posts here and here)

Posted by Lance Brown at January 7, 2003 03:07 AM | TrackBack

Comments

I couldn't agree with you more. I worry about what this country is becoming and when I'll become the next victim. So, I'm glad there are people like you who aren't afraid to speak out. You have my vote!

Posted by: Sherrie Mullins at January 11, 2003 09:01 AM

I am a US Citizen living and working in Germany. The Today Show aired the video yesterday showing the Smoak family and the tragic event. I would like to thank whoever is responsible for sending the tape to the media. This "black eye" on Tennessee is not going to go away. Certainly everyone involved wishes they could turn the clock back but that is not possible. Retribution MUST be made. I hope to see this issue kept in the spotlight until all of the officers responsible are publicly fired from their jobs and never again be issued a license to carry a firearm. If nothing else, the Tennessee Tourist Bureau needs to lead the way.

Posted by: Katie Cochnauer at January 11, 2003 02:13 PM

I willingly agree. Dogs as of late have been getting media attention for cruelty brought upon them. I have one thing to say about the dog who had gotten shot while his family was cuffed and on their knees. As far as I am conscern, the cop who shot the Smoak's little friend is an utter coward. You hear that, a COWARD! Funny isn't it that cops are able to restrain human targets who potenitally and more likely to be dangerous than most animals yet, volenteers for shelters across the USA, without any kind of police training can restrain an animal without resorting to violence, mean SOME cops for some reason chose only to shoot an animal. I can not stop refering to this cop as a coward. The cop felt threatened? Ya, big threat there for a coward bearing arms against a wonderful looking animal. Honestly, what sort of threat could a small dog be. It's not like a dog can bare an equally dangerous weapon. Its not like he was some dog sick with rabies that weighed in at 200lbs or so. (From what I could gather)

Interestingly enough, the officer interviewed was talking about how the stop was a ligitimate pull over. Fine legitimate, whatever. What has that got to do with the do I ask. Absolutly ZERO. So because of some of the things he had to say about the humans was a reflection of how the dog shold be treated? What sort of sense does that make? None. Ok, so with that notion in mind. Fictitiously speaking,What if for some reason a criminal or someone who was charaged in the past was pulled over with a 4-legged buddy in the back seat. Now, sure the nameless cop pulls said criminal over, cuffs them and that would stand to reason. Fine good work 'nameless' officer. Now, what would said criminal's ilegal actions have to do with said 4-legged buddy (dog, cat,ect)? Nothing. I don't care if the owner is the meanest rotten S-O-B on the face of the planet, you don't kill his pet.

Thank you for letting me vent. This has been bothering me since I heard about it. Everyone before me, took most of the words from my mind and mouth.

Also, I would like to note, there have been poisonings of Cats not far from where I live. Incase anyone lives in the town of Plainville, MA, watch your cats or your dogs for that matter. Animals think nothing of lapping up Anti-freeze and seems soneone overnight in this town, according to what I read in a local newspaper, has been hurting and killing cats this way. There has been at least one casualty already. Heartbreaking really. Got friends who live in that area? Please let them now ASAP!

Thanks again,
Brant L Deneneo

Posted by: Brant Deneneo at January 21, 2003 05:57 PM