The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > General > Police/Fire/EMS

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old 04-23-2003, 04:15 PM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
Banned
 

Join Date: Dec 1969
Posts: 6,380
Distinctions
Contributor 
Default Philly

Id like to see a federal law that says dogs are police officers.
The dog will help out its owner because it is trained to do that.
If you trained it to sit when a gun shot was heard, thats what it would do. You can think a dog is an officer if you want, I think more of our officers than that. Show me the Federal Law.
Then I would still ask the dog where he cashes his check, and lets see his W4 form.
Listen this conversation is getting relly dumb, lets just stop.

Ron
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #12  
Old 04-23-2003, 04:25 PM
philly philly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 803
Default

Ah, Ron,

You mean you want to stop? Yeah, we were playing paddy cake there for a while.
Have a good evening.

Best regards,

Philly
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-23-2003, 05:17 PM
philly philly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 803
Default

Ron,

I researched this further and found that there isn't any mention of police dogs officially named police officers. None that I've seen regarding the federal law. However, they are considered a police partners. And that's why some policemen and civilians refer to K-9 cops as police officers. So you are right if we are to be completely factual.

Here's an interesting article on this subject:

Aug. 9 ? For those tempted to punch a horse during a demonstration or kick a narcotics dog sniffing at your bag, the U.S. government has a new message: Keep your paws off or you will go to jail.
Harming these four-legged law agents is now a federal offense. Under the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act , which went into effect this week, anyone convicted of purposely assaulting, maiming, or killing federal law enforcement animals such as police dogs and horses could be fined at least $1,000 and spend up to 10 years in prison. Previously, the animals were covered by a variety of state, rather than federal, laws.
The United States Police Canine Association and The Humane Society believe the new law will not only provide more protection for the animals they but also deter criminals, particularly in drug stings, from targeting canines.
And, as Russell Hess, the executive director of the U.S. Police Canine Association, notes, the new law recognizes the law enforcement animals as more than just a piece of police equipment and property. The stronger punishment recognizes the animals as partners who are valued by human officers.
?If it protects the animal then that?s great. But if it doesn?t, then at least now the punishment will be more in line with the violation,? said Hess. ?We?re hoping that once people hear about the new law and the punishment they will face, that they will be deterred from hurting a federal law enforcement animal. Before, the animals were classified as a piece of equipment, like a computer, or a police car.
?Well, the law recognizes that an animal is not like a computer and is a living thing that has to be taken care of. Though the animal?s not a person, the bond [with the human officer] is still there.?
A Target in Drug Busts
Before the law went into effect, Hess said, the Police Canine Association had received reports that narcotics dealers had put out bounties on narcotics dogs that had either thwarted or come dangerously close to foiling their operations on previous encounters.
The Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act was introduced in 1999 by Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Ill. and was approved by the House of Representatives last October.
Though there are no national statistics on the number of animal fatalities suffered annually, the canine association says that assaults on law enforcement animals were on the rise when the bill was proposed. According to the association, eight police dogs were killed while on duty between 1998 and 1999.
Weller believes that law enforcement animals needed greater protection under federal law because of the dangerous situations they face and because the bond they share with their human colleagues.
?Police dogs?and horses? lives are on the front line against drug runners and violent criminals every day,? Weller said in a statement. ?Law enforcement officers have told me that police dogs are the first sent in to survey dangerous crime scenes involving drugs, bombs or other high risk situations.?

Ties To Human Assaults
Wayne Pacelle, senior vice president for communications and government affairs at the Humane Society, says the federal law is an overdue recognition of the work of law enforcement animals and their sacrifices. Pacelle hopes that the law will not only protect canines and horses on duty but ultimately protect human beings. He believes the law recognizes a link between attacks on animals and assaults on human beings.
?Maybe that will prevent people from transferring their violent tendencies and actions on other people,? Pacelle said. ?Oftentimes, studies have shown violence against animals pre-stages violence against people. It?s important that law enforcement agencies, judges, and prosecutors take these acts very seriously as an indicator of future violence.?

K-9 Partners:

Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection
Summary: Legislation that raises the penalties for anyone who "willfully harms" a federal police dog or horse. The Federal Law Enforcement Animals Protection Act establishes a prison term of up to ten years if the offense results in the death of the animal.

Status: Signed into law August 2, 2000 (P.L. 106-254).
Position/Action: Please thank the bill's sponsors, Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) for their leadership on this issue and encourage their continued support of animal protection legislation.
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-23-2003, 06:41 PM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
Banned
 

Join Date: Dec 1969
Posts: 6,380
Distinctions
Contributor 
Default Philly

No one doughts the good things that the police dogs do, However thats not what we are talking about. Even if some city made an ordinance saying police dogs were police officers that would not make it so, First someone would have to be arrested for ( kick the dog) assulting a police officer, Then the court would have to find the person guilty, and thats where the person charged would get off, Because , like I said , My first witness in the court of law would be officer dog, Case dissmissed.

All officers that I know of have to go through an accadomy and take test and some agency has to hold there commision. The dog could not pass the test so it would not get a commision so it could not be an officer.
If it looks like a dog and barks like a dog, its probibly a dog.
The fire service has dog also, but we don't call them Firemen.

Ron
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-24-2003, 09:55 AM
philly philly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 803
Default

Hi Ron,

I understand what you are trying to convey, but it doesn't mean that I agree. I think we both have differing opinions on this subject. If a cop chooses to call his K-9 dog a police officer that's his prerogative. Does everyone need to agree on the title? No. The criminals need to keep in mind if they strike or kill a K-9, they will be prosecuted under federal law because they are valued more than equipment.

It seems that we are both at an impasse on this subject.

Philly
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 04-24-2003, 11:02 AM
MORTARDUDE's Avatar
MORTARDUDE MORTARDUDE is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,849
Distinctions
VOM Contributor 
Default Interesting debate....

I had some experience with dogs in 'Nam..on several occasions they spotted booby traps and saved lives...I have read about some that "walked point"....more than just equipment...They had to leave all of them in-country...a travesty...call them what you will...they have emotions, are loyal, and will die for you....they are not just equipment...

Just my opinion...not meant to start another argument,

Larry
__________________
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 04-24-2003, 11:36 AM
philly philly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 803
Default

Hi Larry,

While researching the federal law for canine yesterday, I found there are ways of adopting retired Military K-9. I was very glad to learn of this. If they are manageable and are able to adapt to a home environment, it's a great thing. What a great way to save a life.
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 04-24-2003, 02:23 PM
David's Avatar
David David is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 46,798
Distinctions
Special Projects VOM Staff Contributor 
Default

Most ex-police dogs can be adopted as well. One our our dogs went through most of the training but then we did not want to have to buy it back years later so he was pulled from the program.
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 04-26-2003, 06:21 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
Banned
 

Join Date: Dec 1969
Posts: 6,380
Distinctions
Contributor 
Default Philly

Being prosicuted and found guilty are different, Any police officer can arrest anyone for anything, That doesn't mean they are quilty.
Hitting a dog and being arrested for assulting a police officer will end up in case dismissed, Cause the Dog officer can't testify. And more importantly, THE DOG IS NOT AN OFFICER.

Ron
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 04-28-2003, 09:00 AM
philly philly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 803
Default

Ron,

I like to believe the federal law protecting the K-9 cops can and will be enforced. I also want to believe that prosecuting a criminal for breaking the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act could be tried with the same degree of seriousness as that of a human.

Not all cases of assault on a K-9 are thrown out. If the prosecutor has eye witness testimony supporting the K-9 cop's case, it would be very difficult for any judge to ignore the testimony. Would a judge throw out a case even with strong evidence in favor of the K-9 cop? Sure. Why? Some humans do not value the life of an animal even if it is a K-9 cop. I like to think there are more judges that would sit on a case, such as an assault on a K-9, with an open mind then not. I believe they would consider all of the presented evidence and make his/her judgement based on this evidence.
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Law enforcement with Paco b3196 General Posts 15 08-19-2006 04:21 PM
Law enforcement in this country 39mto39g General Posts 2 09-28-2005 08:54 AM
Immigration-Law Enforcement Tamaroa Coast Guard 0 02-01-2004 07:39 AM
Murphy's Laws for Law Enforcement MORTARDUDE Police/Fire/EMS 0 04-02-2003 12:38 PM
Law enforcement stories... MORTARDUDE General Posts 1 03-02-2003 07:24 AM

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.