Adam Tomer changed my opinion on it last night.
By now, everybody’s heard about the Danville police officer that shot a miniature dachshund and the public outrage.
SouthsideCentral attended Chief Broadfoot’s first press conference on the matter and thought he handled it well. He had no choice but to support his officer’s actions because the shooting was in line with the department’s policy. After reviewing the facts that were presented at the conference, I was switching between two points of view.
A) It’s a damned shame, but I have to side with the police officer’s actions because he was in fear of his safety.
B) No, it was excessive force and the officer’s fears were irrational based on the circumstances.
Position A finally won out in the end, but I also thought that “just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right”.
Until last night, that is. I was covering the City Council meeting and saw Paulette Dean and associates sitting back in the gallery. There was nothing job-related for her on the agenda and she didn’t speak during the public comment section. She’d never been to any of the other council meetings that I had covered, but I didn’t think too much of it.
That was until they went to the around-the-horn session for council members to make comments. Adam Tomer’s turn came up and he let loose with a speech that changed my mind completely. When he talked about meter readers and postal workers not using guns to kill small dogs that growl and bark at them, my mind instantly changed and I realized that he was right. Tomer went further by criticizing the reaction by the leadership of the DPD, but I can’t agree with him there. Broadfoot has done everything that he can to try and defuse the volatile situation.
To me, the police officer’s fear at that moment was irrational and the threat could have been neutralized by using non-lethal force. I understand that the police chief has no choice but to stand behind his officer’s actions because his officer’s actions were within the department’s policy. I support the Danville police department and their leadership 100%, and that makes this even a tougher opinion to form.
Finally, there’s a personal reason that makes it even harder to criticize the officer. I know him. We went to school together and Murrill’s a good guy. I haven’t seen him in over 20 years, but Murrill was/is the type of guy not to do something like this just because he could.
Yep. Murrill’s actions were wrong. A family pet was killed because of his actions and no one can unring the bell. It’s a damned shame.
Bottom line, there’s a leash law. If the pet’s owners had been following the law and had the dog leashed or contained, the dog would still be alive.
Amen, X!
And that’s another part of the equation that I’ve had to weigh into my thoughts on this matter…
Very true.
But remember too. Not the 1st time doggy was running loose. Paulette had an encounter. Still not on the leash. I think no matter what the officer had done he would have been critized. Poor officer!
Bruce,
If he had kicked the dog away, do you think there would be a community silence on the matter? I think no matter what he did there would be an outcry….and if he had bitten him the city would have had to pay for any medical bills and nothing would have happened to the owners…
I agree with X on the leash law, additionally the dog had been confrontational with strangers in the past, add all that to the fact that it was in keeping with police policy leave me with little reservation in saying…”sorry about the dead dog, but if the owners had the known to be somewhat aggressive dog on a leash or in the house as they should have it would not have happened. Face it people, the dogs death is completely the fault of the owners, not the officer.”
I think shooting a dachsund for growling at you is up there with shooting a black snake just because its in your yard. It’s excessive use of force, leash law or not. It’s a freaking dachsund, for goodness sake.
Im with Doug. A bigger dog I could understand, but not a doxie, they can be quite territorial but they aren’t gonna knock you down and rip out your throat. The little guy was just protecting what he saw as belonging to him. What a shame. 🙁