Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
It's always exciting when the Action News Crew scrounges up some quarters to send a camera truck out to Reston, this time to "investigate" charges that a Fairfax County animal control officer reached for his weapon and threatened dogs at the Reston Dog Park last Thursday.
Canine camaraderie at the Reston, Va., dog park came to a halt Thursday morning when an animal control officer used extremely aggressive behavior toward the dogs, according to their owners.Meanwhile, in Loudoun County, sheriff's deputies have been accused of letting a dog die in a car after arresting its owner at a Sterling IHOP and ignoring his pleas to check on his dog in the car parked outside. If you were wondering if there's now a Facebook page calling for "Justice for Rex," you obviously haven't been on the Internet much in the past decade.
“He said he’s looking for dog licenses so he starts throwing dog treats around,” Joseph Yindra said. “So of course all the dogs surround him, and then a couple of the dogs started to bark and he immediately took an aggressive stance, reached for his weapon and said, ‘Which one of you wants to get shot?’”
“I was just stunned,” said Leslie Craine, who was standing nearby. “And I was afraid because he did put his hand on his gun, and I have never been around a gun and my dog has not, so I didn’t know if that would set her off.”
Fairfax County Animal Control disputes the allegations. The officer recorded the entire incident, but authorities would not release the recording Friday.
Lt. Carol Wilhite did not hear the officer say, “Which one of you wants to get shot?” on the recording.
“What I heard was an officer who was perhaps in fear of his own safety advising the dog owners of what could happen if he was attacked by a dog,” she said.
If factually correct, both these incidents are very disturbing, do not reflect well at all on law enforcement in either Fairfax or Loudoun County, and clearly cross the line into police misconduct and misuse of police powers.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't Fairfax Animal Control releasing the tape of the incident if it in fact proves the officer did not say anything about shooting the dogs? It's going to raise suspicions of a cover-up.
If law enforcement wants the respect that it deserves, it has to give it as well.
They need to release the tape. You can tell the officer was full of bs..
ReplyDeleteThey always cover up for each other. Some one should have captured the incident on their cell phone camera. Can't deny those.
All it takes is uploading the video to YouTube. The truth will perhaps be damning.
ReplyDeleteI work at an animal hospital in the area and have seen nothing but professional and considerate behavior from the Fairfax County Animal Control Officers I've worked with. I hold them in high esteem. It's hard for me to believe this account is true based on my experiences. If it is true, I'm stunned.
ReplyDelete"Shoot the dog!" is supposed to be a punchline to a joke about hunting gorillas, not a commentary on license inspections by ACB.
ReplyDelete