Be warned if you travel with your animals

[feistysmama]

On the 15th of October me and two of my friends were driving to the store in out small town of Orting. As we were entering the town of Orting we were pulled over by a Orting police officer.
One of my friends was driving I was stiiting passanger and another friends was siting in the back seat. My friend that was driving was arrested for a suspended licence, he was upset about this and was yelling.
The officers brought my friend to the back of the cop car and were trying to calm him down. I got out of our car and was stopped by officer Turner. I told him that i was the only onw that could calm my friend Mike down. Officer Turner told me that I needed to sit back in the car or he would arrest me. So I i went back in the car and sat down.
While all this was going on my two female pits were in the back seat with my friend Jenifer.
My female pit named Shorty was that the drivers seat did not have any one in it since they arrested Mike. Shorty did as all dogs do when they see a open seat and jumped into it for more room.
By this time Officer Turner had made his way to the drivers window, as soon as my dog jumped ito the front seat he said to me" If your dog gets any closer I will shoot it".
First off the window was more a little more than half way up so there was no way she could have gotten her head out
Second the whole time from when we got pulled over to when officer Turner said this neither of my dogs had made a sound not a growl bark or anything.
As oon as Officer Turner said that I jumped out of the car and yelled across the street to some friends for a leash.
I was in fear for my dogs life my life and Jenifers. When I got out of the car this time Officer Turner made no threat to arrest me.
I want something done to be done to Officer Turner. Whos to say the next time he feels "threntened" he threntens to shoot another pit as it is sitting right next to a baby?
I am only 18 and he threntened to shoot in to my car at my dog as she was less than a foot away from me. What will stop him?

Thank you for listening

[psychodelic]

There was a news report here in Pittsburgh (last week I think) about police officers shooting dogs. It gave some statistics, and I remember that in the last month, pit bulls, more than any other kind of dog, were killed by police in the name of "safety". I think the number of pit bull killings was around 20, and the next highest was Doberman at 7.

I know there is a high rate of pit bull attacks, but that officer was out of line, and power-tripping. But there's nothing you can do. When I was 13 years old, my friend and I were playing with cap guns (the quiet kind, don't look or sound like real guns). A neighbor called the police, the police snuck into the back door of our house while we were DANGEROUSLY watching TV. 2 officers started screaming at us to get on the floor and if we made one wrong move they would "shoot us dead." Absolutely inappropriate (we were on the couch, nothing in our hands, not doing anything), and to tell a 13-year-old they were going to get shot??

I don't hate police. But there are so many officers who give the police a bad wrap by acting out-of-line and abusing their authority. You were right to fear for your dogs' lives, but you shouldn't have had to.

[killerweed420]

I would file a report with the Orting police chief and complain. If we don't complain nothing every gets fixed.

[psychodelic]

That's a good idea. Using key words (e.g. "harassment", "lawsuit") might get you a response.

[feistysmama]

Thank you guys for the ideas i have filed a complaint with the sgt and chief I am just waiting to find out what they think

[FreeDaHerb]

While I don't agree with shooting dogs there are some mitigating factors here to suggest nobody really did anything wrong (other than your friend driving), and note also the inherent fear people (including police officers) have of pit bulls. I know personally they are fantastic gentle & kind dogs but they are very PROTECTIVE and they do have a bad rep from the news & media.

The police officer actually did nothing wrong, he followed standard procedure. I would pick my battles more wisely kid or you can plan to have ongoing issues with the police where you live. If he would have actually shot your dog in your car from outside of the car then that would be a different story. But he did'nt. I would "get over it". Listen to my advice. :thumbsup:

Good luck, smoke some pot. :jointsmile:

[feistysmama]

Thanks but I am not going to just get over it,and take your advice. That is what many people do in these situations and nothing ever gets solved.
What happens next time he feels unjustifiably threatened...he shoots someones baby and grandmother?It is a never ending battle for these dogs. So many ignorant people out there, unfortunately some of them have power.
I am be young but I am not a kid and I stand up for what is right.

[FreeDaHerb]

He actually is well within his rights to shoot an unrestrained agressive dog.

But, he did'nt do anything...you are seriously over-reacting here trust me!

It's really best to stay on the friendly side of the law locally unless you want a big "X" marks the spot on you. Just friendly advice..

[feistysmama]

MY DOG WAS NOT FUCKING AGGRESSIVE.
All she did was jump from the back seat to the front seat.
And as far as the cops I have nothing to worrie about I am not doing any thing illegal.
I have been in my town since the 2nd grade and I am not going to let the cops make me fear to take my dogs around MY towm.

[littlemountain]

you are young and experience will tell you not to mess with the MAN- no harm was done other then your pride- mess with law and they will retaliate- you say you are not breaking the law- by being on this site it suggest you are a smoker- want to be a target from your local police? think about it before you over react- one moment of time could effect the rest of your life- most cops are power mongers that is why they are a cop

[SelfMedication5]

At lest youre dogs still breathin -my wifes baby (rex was his name ) got ran over , not by a cop, but thats somthing to be pissed about.

and + you have pitbulls even though youre dog might not be aggresive pitbull are known for their aggresiveness thats why a few city around were i live have banned the dog from their town..

[Dreadscale]

feistysmama, welcome to the forum :)

I seen a few posts about Orting, sounds pretty messed up.

From your post it seems you know officer Turner, maybe its more of a personality issue than an animal issue.

Threatening action to protect himself doesn't seem out of line to me.

I personally like to be below the radar but you have the right to complain if you like!! :)


LIVE AND LEARN :D

[feistysmama]

Ok everyone keeps telling me to stay under the raidar
Let me tell you a little about myself... I do not smoke weed I do not grow weed.
I am on this board because I know the cannacare director very well.He owns a pit bull as well
I do not know Officer Turner personally I met him the night when he put my dogs life as well as my own in risk.
I am going to fight fo what is right
Maybe you all would change your opinion if you saw this show

Pit Bulls and Parolees : TV : Animal Planet (http://animal.discovery.com/tv/pitbulls-and-parolees/)

[FakeBoobsRule]

My friend that was driving was arrested for a suspended licence, he was upset about this and was yelling.
The officers brought my friend to the back of the cop car and were trying to calm him down. I got out of our car and was stopped by officer Turner. I told him that i was the only onw that could calm my friend Mike down. Officer Turner told me that I needed to sit back in the car or he would arrest me. So I i went back in the car and sat down.

It is very odd that you want to get out of the car and figuratively want to step in front of the bullet for your friend. At 18, you might not have had too many interactions with cops but to think that it is a good idea to get out of the car while your friend is being "aggressive" in some way to the cops during his arrest and you to try to calm him down because you are the only one who can is somewhat noble but quite foolish. The cuffs will calm him down if not mace, pepper spray, stun gun, taser, or another charge sure will calm him down. They're cops and they tend to have ego issues and the last thing you should do is get out of a car and approach them during an arrest. Really now, what were you going to do to calm him down? You probably couldn't have done anything and could have easily made the situation worse.

I'm not saying the cops were right or professional or polite or just doing their jobs because they might have been the best cops in the world or maybe the worst cops in the world, just that no matter what they did, you are powerless to help your friend at that point.

Another thing you will probably find yourself powerless against is getting them in trouble for their actions. There's this thing called the blue wall and cops stick tend to stick up for each other no matter if they like each other or are right or wrong. You aren't the first person who has had their pets threatened to be shot. In fact, cops kill animals regularly without cause and don't even get a slap on the wrist. Watch the videos below and just chalk this one up to live and learn and pick another battle to fight. Without video, the third witness, you really face an uphill battle against them.

Ironically, if you attack a police dog, you can face several charges including felonies but they can execute family pets with immunity.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv0T2X1dXcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upw7rS6KiME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIAbnLKNVAo]YouTube - Owner Upset After Police Shoot, Kill Dog

[jamessr]

If you feel the officer has violated ANY statute being a misdemeanor you can file a citizens complaint against the officer. You will find the right to do so at CrRLJ 2.1(c). This is a court rule under courts of limited jurisdiction. You would be surprised after filing one of these, just how stupid and in fear the officer will feel that his decision was wrong, and the officer must use more discretion in such situations. A dog inside a car is not any danger to any police officer, PITBULL OR NOT, if the officer feels a need to search the car, then they are obligated by law to get the animal control on the scene, or ask the owner to remove the dog . The danger comes into play when the dog is within harming distance of ANY officer, and that officer fears for their life.... that is impossible when a dog is in a car.

Immunity issues do not apply when the officer violates ANY criminal statutes, immunity only applies to civil rights suits or THE LAW OF THE LAND i.e. the constitution....

If you disagree with this, please provide case law to support your opinion....

[SelfMedication5]

cops can do what they want ....... show me a case law for that !!!!!

[FakeBoobsRule]

Immunity issues do not apply when the officer violates ANY criminal statutes, immunity only applies to civil rights suits or THE LAW OF THE LAND i.e. the constitution....

If you disagree with this, please provide case law to support your opinion....
WTF?!?!?!?! :wtf:

I googled CrRLJ 2.1(c). and I invite anyone else to because what you say it says and what it says seem to me to be 2 completely different things.

James, if you are saying that because there are laws on the books saying police can't violate your rights or break the law themselves and these laws and rules are never broken and to provide case law showing this then you are quite naive. From people's personal experience to high profile cases such as Rodney King, Andrew Meyers (the UF student who was tased and yelled "Don't tase me bro!") to Omar Grant (the man handcuffed and unarmed shot and killed by Oakland Transit police) to Abner Louima (NYPD and the broom stick inserted inside this man), to countless other cases that make public news and the millions of other incidents that don't make the news, I think most people can agree that it is possible for cops to break and bend rules, rights, and the law themselves and that it does happen despite it being against the law. I don't have to cite any case law for that.

Immunity does not apply to a cop when the cop breaks the law but my point is good luck in proving it especially when you don't have video to prove this. Like Denzel Washington's character from Training Day says "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove."

To say that people (cop or not) don't break the law because it is the law is just ludicrous, just turn on the news, look at the jail or prison when you drive by it next time, ignore all the police officers we have, or the big court buildings we have.

James, are you in law enforcement by any chance?

[the image reaper]

He actually is well within his rights to shoot an unrestrained agressive dog.

But, he did'nt do anything...you are seriously over-reacting here trust me!

It's really best to stay on the friendly side of the law locally unless you want a big "X" marks the spot on you. Just friendly advice..

good advice :thumbsup:

[jamessr]

cops can do what they want ....... show me a case law for that !!!!!

It is this attitude right here that allows them to do what they want.....you are the case law selfmedication, no need for me to change that, cause only you can change your behavior.

[feistysmama]

james thank you for undestanding where I am coming from
I am going to continue to fight for what I know is right
Cops think that just because they have a badge and a gun they can do what ever they want.
People fear them so they keep there mouths shut. I know that if any of the people that have disagreed with me in this post had there dog threntened to be shot while there child was sitting right next to it be thinking different
Come on people you are agreeing with the pigs

[Joedirtfarmer]

Always document everything possible. File a formal written complaint. Why?
Well, to protect others and yourself. Most asshole cops do the same number to people over and over. If you at least get it documented, there is a history started. someone has to do it. Maybe you run into officer shitty pants again. Maybe, this time there is no dog...maybe he tells you "Restrain your self or I'll plug you like I was going to plug your dog....bitch." Maybe I'm being sarcastic but you get it though I hope. Most people think the man is too big to be silenced every now and again. Or you can do what I myself and most others do at times. Let it go, life is too short to worry or stay upset about a little angry man with a badge. There's so many other thoughts that can be filling your head......like telling me what Tissue culture is about, or give me info on it...links to site you know.