Whatever you think of the story, "Answering alarm, Oakland police kill family dog"

[CreekDog]

Whether you think what they did was wrong, or think it was right, there is one conclusion we should all be able to agree on:

The incident has taught the kids in that family a lesson about the police.

And that lesson will probably make those kids trust the police less in every encounter they have with them for the rest of their lives.

And will probably make future policework involving these folks more difficult, ultimately, even if in only small ways.

Will they think twice before calling the police when the police might be needed?

Remember that these kids are also in the community where Oscar Grant was gunned down by a BART policeman now in prison.

Will they think twice before calling 911 because the thought crosses their mind, "will this make it worse, if they just come here with guns blazing?"

And can you blame them?



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/01/BA341FMDDO.DTL

(09-30) 18:25 PDT OAKLAND -- Mary Kate Hallock arrived at her Oakland hills home after running errands Tuesday and found a blue note fluttering on her front door.

"Oakland police responded to your residence to investigate a burglar alarm," the handwritten note read. "While circling the rear perimeter, lab advanced on officers in a threatening manner before being shot and killed."

"Lab" was Gloria, an 11-year-old, arthritic yellow Labrador Hallock's family had owned since she was a puppy. Oakland police shot Gloria three times with a 40-caliber Glock handgun in the family's backyard while responding to a false burglar alarm at the property. The dog, police said, growled and barked at them.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/01/BA341FMDDO.DTL#ixzz11982B0F4

[Xipe Totec]

1. If the dog was barking and growling, I would not expect to find a burglar

on the premises.

[jobycom]

2. Best comment: Just once in my life I'd like to hear OPD say "we blew it, we're gun happy".

[Mimosa]

3. Great point, CreekDog!

I agree.

But I think everybody is certain in that case the cops were VICIOUS.

[hlthe2b]

4. These stories just break my heart.. almost as if it were my own dog

Something has to be done. Did these assholes never own a dog as a kid? How can they be so callous (and stupid)?

[xchrom]

5. Killing the dog with impunity makes a more compliant citizenry. Nt

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[DBoon]

7. poor old dog

He was just defending his yard from aggressive strangers, the responsibility of every dog. For being a faithful loyal friend, he was killed

[DirkGently]

8. Great point,CD. What dog owner isn't thinking about un-installing a burglar alarm about now?

[thanks_imjustlurking]

9. The dog was in the yard, fenced if I understand correctly, doing its job of protecting the house.

Some reward. The whole thing has sounded fishy to me from the git-go. Why did the police feel they needed to go inside the back fence, anyway? If they needed in the house, what was wrong with the front door or a window? Or could they have looked for signs of break-in first? Did they? I have three dogs in a fenced back yard, and now I'm afraid they'll all be shot if the police ever come.