I agree with what Mike has said, makes sense to me... I wanna be a cop so I can pull over hot girls and... nevermind...

 

Mike - That's only part of the video, before they shot the dog the women told the officers "he's very friendly" while the dog chased his own tail. They also were using flashlights, the son later mentioned how they would play at home with flashlights and the dog would chase the light and the person. And dogs are never in a "bad mood" when they are wagging their tail, which the dog was. Also, after the man shot the dog, another officer said "good job" and they smiled. That makes me sick to think people could smile after shooting a dog.

Adrenaline? I say if the adrenaline got to him, then he is not fit to be a peace officer. Seriously, if the family was a "real" armed robber would their highest concern be put on the fact that the family dog might get out of the car? Also, could the police not have just looked at the insurance, I'm sure the wife was insured on the car, and she did have her ID.

 

ok i would think that when dealing with people you suspect as armed robbers your first instinct insn't to make sure if the car is the right one. i myself would have made sure there was no way for the people to harm me or my fellow officers. How do the cops know that the dog isn't a trained killer? Should they instantly believe that it's just a "family dog" cause the people told them so? i think not. safety to HUMANS is first and foremost. then the safety of animals.

 

As far as the handling of things goes, the cops were in the right to *not* close the doors. To do something like that would mean one of them would have been stepping into an uncontrolled situation. Anything you say about "this was a family" and "friendly dog" goes right out the window.

In a felony stop situation, cop's job #1 is secure all the people, check facts later. This puts "check the wife's ID against the insurance" argument right out also.

As for sanctions against the Cookeville PD officer... I agree. He needs to be at the very least taken off the streets, as unless he learns to handle his adrenaline problem (difficult at best), he'll be a danger to everyone around in the next tense situation. That kind of adrenaline overdrive is what leads to cops beating suspects after car chases.

As for guns being pointed at the family, think about this... trooper is looking at his suspect, hears a gunshot over his shoulder, and the suspect springs up off the ground... VERY UNCONTROLLED. They still don't know they're not about to go off running at this point, or worse.

Why can I talk? My brother was an MP, the neighbor I've lived next to for 20 years now is now the Maryille city police chief, two more neighbors have been Blount county patrol officers, and there's a State Trooper in the family, uh, somewhere. Anyhow, I've learned by both common sense and by osmosis. This is why both times I've been stopped by officers on the road by the time they get to the car the window is open, my wallet is on the dashboard, and both hands on the steering wheel... never give an officer a reason to be nervous.

 

There is rules that "should" be followed, then there is common sence. That just went out the window. This just proved the "American Way"; shoot first, ask questions later.

 

what if the dog was attack trained and wounded the officer? what if the dog attacking him allowed the people to grab a weapon and kill and officer? WHAT THEN? then the media would be complaing that he cop was in the wrong and didn't follow procedure or some shlt. either way the cops lose. all in all it was just a dog, no humans lost their lives and that's the important thing.