GA-Cops shot nearly 100 dogs just in the Atlanta area alone.

[Anti Federalist]

2 Investigates: Nearly 100 dogs shot by metro police since 2010

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...-police/nSrz7/

Posted: 5:19 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012



By Erin Coleman

A Channel 2 Action News investigation found nearly 100 cases of local officers shooting dogs within the past two years.

The investigation looked into the heartbreaking circumstances when a police officer kills a family pet -- probably one of the most difficult scenarios for a pet owner and for police.

Nearly two years after Basil was shot and killed in an empty lot by Fulton County Marshals, Elizabeth and Carey Cullifer said they still feel every bit of the pain.

"She was a really kind and gentle dog," said Elizabeth Cullifer.

She left their 45-pound dog outside alone for a moment. Marshals then came to their address with a civil lawsuit for someone who had not lived there in eight years.

Then Cullifer heard gunshots.

"I came out to see my dog in a pool of blood under the truck," said Carey Cullifer.

It is a story Channel 2 Action News has heard over and over from pet owners whose dogs had been shot and killed by police.

A Channel 2 Action News investigation uncovered dozens of cases all over the metro area. Individual department records show since 2010, dogs were shot 25 times in Atlanta, 32 times in DeKalb county, 19 times in Gwinnett County, 10 times in Clayton County and eight times in Cobb County, including the most recent shooting this past September.

"I had to watch him bleed to death and gasp for air and they just stood there looking at me like I was stupid," a Cobb County man said.

Cobb County officers responding to an alarm call shot and killed Luke, a chocolate lab when he ran out of the home barking. It was a false alarm.

The officer said he felt threatened by the dog and was cleared by the department of any wrongdoing.

In fact, every single case found in multiple departments, the officer was exonerated.

"There isn't an officer out there I know that wants to shoot a dog, any animal!" said Kliff Grimes a national representative for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers.

Grimes told Channel 2 that every day officers encounter dogs, some of them vicious.

"That officer unfortunately has to make a split-second decision to protect himself so that he can go home to his family," said Grimes.

("Circular Force Continuum. Officer Safety. Policy was followed. $#@! you, and your dog, Mundane. Get the $#@! out of here, before I decide to shoot you next." - Officer Friendly)

When it comes to making that decision, Channel 2 only found one metro area department that requires officers to have training, specifically on how to respond to dogs. Cobb County started its training just this year.

"Even if the officer is trained to deal with the dog, the dog isn't trained to deal with the officer," said Grimes.

(I know, imagine, the nerve, not immediately complying with an officer's commands. - AF)

"I think it would be a help. It would be information that's certainly valuable," said Cyndy Dougan a dog trainer for 22 years.

Dougan is an expert on dog behavior and she says the issue is not black and white.

"I tell people even though you think you know how your dog is going to react in a situation where the police are called to the scene you may not be correct about that," said Dougan.

Elizabeth Cullifer said in her case she knows Basil was not aggressive and she believes officer training is key.

"With training there would be some accountability. There is no accountability in the situation with us. It was like he felt threatened, he shot your dog. That's it," she said.

Animal behavior experts tell Channel 2 knowing animal behavior is everything in these types of situations. A dog that appears to be aggressive may really just be nervous.

Dougan showed Channel 2's Erin Coleman how dogs at her kennel would respond to Coleman, a stranger. After letting several of the dogs go, one by one, unrestrained out into the yard.

"It's going to be a surprise to them that we're even here," said Dougan.

Some dogs did not pay attention to Coleman during the experiment, others started barking right away, running for her.

"Sometimes tail high and wagging isn't really a good sign. Didn't that scare you?" Dougan asked Coleman.

"A little bit," said Coleman.

"A little bit, I saw you jump. If you push this dog hard enough, this dog would be dangerous," said Dougan.

Another dog approached Coleman, "He's running away, he did not approach us, that is good," said Coleman.

Dougan said knowing animal behavior is key. For years the U.S. Postal Service has trained its mail carriers on dealing with dogs. Georgia Power meter readers also receive some training.

[juleswin]

I dont know if this phenomenon has gotten worse or we just hearing more of it because of the interweb and people like AF. Anyway, cops need to grow a pair and stop shooting everything that looks at em funny. Also wouldn't a warning shot in the ground be enough to scare off any threatening dog? Theres absolutely no excuse in killing a dog without a warning

[Dr.3D]

I dont know if this phenomenon has gotten worse or we just hearing more of it because of the interweb and people like AF. Anyway, cops need to grow a pair and stop shooting everything that looks at em funny. Also wouldn't a warning shot in the ground be enough to scare off any threatening dog? Theres absolutely no excuse in killing a dog without a warning

Maybe if they got a Purple Heart for every time a dog bit them, they would let a dog bite once in awhile.

Edit:
Or perhaps a little gold star on the calendar at work would do it. That way they could show how macho they are to the rest of the force.

[Anti Federalist]

I dont know if this phenomenon has gotten worse or we just hearing more of it because of the interweb and people like AF. Anyway, cops need to grow a pair and stop shooting everything that looks at em funny. Also wouldn't a warning shot in the ground be enough to scare off any threatening dog? Theres absolutely no excuse in killing a dog without a warning

Quantifiable reports of police abuse are next to impossible to find.

Nobody has been accurately tracking them.

But, just based on my, admittedly, anecdotal research, I find the incidents to be increasing.

Circular Force Continuum. Officer Safety. Policy was followed.

These things are real, and have real consequences.

[kathy88]

It's nice to see some regional attention being paid to this.

[KevinR]

New sub forum for these yet?

[DamianTV]

And cops arent required to have Rabies vaccinations. Hmm, no vaccinations, and they are displaying some very psychotic behavior. Maybe they should try a taste of their own medicine.

[tod evans]

I find it highly suspect that the vast majority of these dog shootings take place in urban areas.

Dogs here in the sticks run loose most of the time and it's rare for a country cop to shoot one.

Could have something to do with folks living right on top of one another....A breed of idiot cops is rearing its head.

[kathy88]

I find it highly suspect that the vast majority of these dog shootings take place in urban areas.

Dogs here in the sticks run loose most of the time and it's rare for a country cop to shoot one.

Could have something to do with folks living right on top of one another....A breed of idiot cops is rearing its head.

Tod's right. Dogs run around here all the time. I know all the neighbor's dogs, and if one stays too long we just take it home. If someone happens to be an $#@! and calls the cops, they take the dog to our local shelter. Everyone knows if your dog has been missing for more than a day or two it's probably there. Not dead.

[JK/SEA]

good info to have AF....thanks for posting...plus rep.

[JK/SEA]

I find it highly suspect that the vast majority of these dog shootings take place in urban areas.

Dogs here in the sticks run loose most of the time and it's rare for a country cop to shoot one.

Could have something to do with folks living right on top of one another....A breed of idiot cops is rearing its head.

probably correct...i live in rural area...dogs run loose. haven't heard of a dog being 'copped out'.......yet.

still...this problem persists, and seems to be growing.

[NCGOPer_for_Paul]

I've posted this before, but no one ever comments about it.

One of the problem is that the average IQ of most cops is somewhere around 90-95, which is on the low end of average intelligence. Most police officers do not have the mental capacity to handle situations without resorting to violence. Add steroids and a God complex, we're dealing with something worse than a legalized gang.

The PC affirmative action nonsense of not allowing higher IQ applicants to be hired as police officers has a chilling effect on the quality of candidate they can hire. Basically, the suburban towns and small cities where these dog murders are occuring aren't being policed by the citizens' peers, because the average kid who grows up there is already overqualified based on IQ. As the older cops, who generally lived in the same communities retire, a younger batch of marginally intelligent goons replace them. In smaller, rural towns, the average cop is known by the town, and usually has some kind of rapport with almost everyone living there.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Where's all the celebrity clowns, their big mouths, and big money?

[phill4paul]

Quantifiable reports of police abuse are next to impossible to find.

Nobody has been accurately tracking them.

But, just based on my, admittedly, anecdotal research, I find the incidents to be increasing.

Circular Force Continuum. Officer Safety. Policy was followed.

These things are real, and have real consequences.

Even though they are supposed to be tracking them. Since 1994.

http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/guard/ch5.htm

Since then, Congress passed the VCCLEA, which contains a section that directs the Justice Department to collect data on the use of excessive force by police officers.[99] While Congress passed this legislation to collect data, it failed to provide necessary funding to carry out this process.

They did however find the funding for 100,000 new police officers.

[Philhelm]

I've posted this before, but no one ever comments about it.

One of the problem is that the average IQ of most cops is somewhere around 90-95, which is on the low end of average intelligence. Most police officers do not have the mental capacity to handle situations without resorting to violence. Add steroids and a God complex, we're dealing with something worse than a legalized gang.

The PC affirmative action nonsense of not allowing higher IQ applicants to be hired as police officers has a chilling effect on the quality of candidate they can hire. Basically, the suburban towns and small cities where these dog murders are occuring aren't being policed by the citizens' peers, because the average kid who grows up there is already overqualified based on IQ. As the older cops, who generally lived in the same communities retire, a younger batch of marginally intelligent goons replace them. In smaller, rural towns, the average cop is known by the town, and usually has some kind of rapport with almost everyone living there.

From my military experience, I believe that lower intelligence is directly proportional to wanting to "light sumthin' up!" regardless of the situation. It's disgraceful.

[CaptUSA]

Where's all the celebrity clowns, their big mouths, and big money?

Come on. Their PR people want them to get as socially active as possible in the most non-controversial way! These puppets don't have thoughts. At least none they are free to express if they want their payday.

[tod evans]

probably correct...i live in rural area...dogs run loose. haven't heard of a dog being 'copped out'.......yet.

still...this problem persists, and seems to be growing.

It seems to me that the solution could be found by looking at the problem.....

All of these dogs were fine until a cop entered the mix, tells me the problem isn't with the dogs..

[Captain Shays]

Not only for lost family pets but for lost human family members I would lost to see justice brigades form. What would I like to see them do? I will leave that to your imagination. I understand this is a public forum and we all must be careful what we say so nuff said about that

[AGRP]

I've posted this before, but no one ever comments about it.

One of the problem is that the average IQ of most cops is somewhere around 90-95, which is on the low end of average intelligence. Most police officers do not have the mental capacity to handle situations without resorting to violence. Add steroids and a God complex, we're dealing with something worse than a legalized gang.

The PC affirmative action nonsense of not allowing higher IQ applicants to be hired as police officers has a chilling effect on the quality of candidate they can hire. Basically, the suburban towns and small cities where these dog murders are occuring aren't being policed by the citizens' peers, because the average kid who grows up there is already overqualified based on IQ. As the older cops, who generally lived in the same communities retire, a younger batch of marginally intelligent goons replace them. In smaller, rural towns, the average cop is known by the town, and usually has some kind of rapport with almost everyone living there.

Theres an equal upside and downside to virtually everything. The downside of hiring unintelligent people while excluding the intelligent ones is obvious. Whatever their goal is, if they have one, will have a hard time working in the real world.