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| photo courtesy of Fox Chicago |
The puppy, "Colonel," had five hours of surgery and should be okay, which is a relief. The incident is being investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority, which does an inquiry every time an officer discharges a weapon.
We'll reserve judgment until we find out both sides of the story, but we are glad to hear the little fella's future is looking good.
Update: Buena Park Neighbors says in its latest newsletter: "Each month our local police meet with the community to talk about crime and other issues of concern to the residents. In light of the dog shooting that happened last Saturday, BPN is encouraging residents to attend this meeting on the 6th.
Whenever the police use lethal force in our community we have a right to know what justified that action. A discharged firearm is a major safety issue that should concern us all.
There are many questions that need answers and we are expecting to get those answers on Thursday. All concerned residents should plan to attend the December 6th C.A.P.S. meeting:
What: December C.A.P.S. meeting
When: Thursday December 6th, 2012
Where: Chicago Public Library at 929 W. Buena Ave
Time: 7 pm"
Update: Predictably, once it ran on Fox, the story was picked up by most other local media outlets. According to ABC7, (1) the police's only comment is that the Independent Police Review Board is investigating, (2) Colonel was released from the emergency vet today, wagging his tail, and (3) the Cone of Shame has never looked cuter (okay, number (3) is a UU opinion).
This was so dum-why shoot a little dog -try shooting some gangbangers (not really-we dont want any shootings) This is a sweet dog.
ReplyDeleteApparently, rumors are that the police went back to the dog owner's home after the story aired asking why they went to the media and WRITING THEM A DOG OFF LEASH TICKET!
ReplyDeleteThey have to try and cover their behind Scott-unreal.
ReplyDeleteNot having a lot of info about this particular event, I wouldn't want to comment on the details of it. However, the sad thing about the CPD is that though there may be only a small percentage of officers who regularly violate people's rights and use excessive force, the so-called "good" officers always cover for them and refuse to report any of their behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe culture of the department accepts the behavior of rogue cops. The city desperately needs a legitimate civilian review board to oversee the department. IPRA, the courts, and certainly internal affairs cannot be trusted to discipline officers.
If the allegations in this case are true, and this cop was willing to do this to a seemingly well-off family living in one of the most exclusive properties in the area, imagine what he would do (or has done) to someone with fewer economic or political resources.
What ever happened to the Cop whose Pit Bull killed a dog at Montrose Beach and he tried to run away before getting caught days later..after denying it was his dog before confronted with photos and witnesses?
ReplyDeleteRight on Ron.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow, going back to the house to try to intimidate after THEY shot a puppy? Sounds like gang tactics.
ReplyDeleteI respect the police but this 1 shot the gun twice and its right down the street from a preschool.1 bullet hit the dog -where did the other bullet go-could have hit a kid .Sorry this police officer was wrong.
ReplyDeleteI too have a great love for dogs and feel bad for this dog but I never jump to assume I know what happened without actually being there when things occurred.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do know is that the bull terrier is a very protective dog when sensing the master is agitated. This type of dog is also well known for its dangerous bite due to extreme pressure power in its jaw. This type of dog was used to bring down actual bulls.
I know nothing of the owner and his reputation, as I know nothing of this Cop to criticize either. For all I know is the Cop could have felt threatened by the unleashed dog, sensing the dog wanting to protect his master. I believe any dog is within his right to protect his owner but he should also be restrained by having him on a leash.
I just hate how we all jump and start judging based on our negative personal experiences with either the owner or a Chicago police officer. I too have had bad experiences with a couple Cops but I judge each one individually based on my encounter in that specific moment. I don't judge every Cop based on that partucular individual because many Cops are truly there to protect us and to better the streets of Uptown.
The only ones who truly know what led to this tragic outcome is the owner of the dog and the Cop.
We can all feel sorry for the dog as animal lovers but lets not judge without knowing the true facts. And never judge as a whole, rather by each individual.
There is a fairly extensive discussion about this incident on Everyblock including details from an eye witness. It seems the dog was not in a defensive or aggresive posture. It was just walking around because the guy had his gate open.
ReplyDeleteUptown appalled, you are way out of line here. There is a huge difference between using lethal force on a gang banger with a weapon and a family pet that happened to step onto the sidewalk in front of the family home. Can't you see that?
I assume most cops are good people and good at their jobs. But when one acts questionably, he/she should be called out. Just like most people are at their own jobs.
I'm out of line for keeping a neutral stance on the matter and not side with your view on things. Wow! Even when staying neutral one gets attacked on here.
ReplyDeleteI will not try to persuade you in any way to see things differently because you are entitled to your opinion, but I still remain neutral on both sides and let the investigation take its course. If the officer was malicious then it will come forward and it's repercussions. Until then I won't judge either party because I wasn't there.
The Anthony Abbate trial resulted in the conclusion that the police have a code amongst themselves to protect their own regardless of whether they are beating people up or in another case, ripping off drug dealers and then selling the drugs and stealing cash.
ReplyDeleteThe Chicago Police are out of control. I keep writing this and it's being deleted that I saw to Security Guards, on Saturday, beating two teenage girls up in front of the Aragon because one of them was "waving a baton and could have killed somebody".
I would like to know what happened to them, they were crying, handcuffed and taken away. One of the security guards appeared to be drunk to me. Several other people complained to the security guards about thier actions.
I witnessed the the killing of the dog at Montrose harbor and presumed correctly that the owner of the dog was a policeman. Because of his unbridled arrogance, manner, style of dress and attitude.
I don't blame the Police for Gang violence....I don't think there is much they can do. But do you want to know what their attitude is about gang violence?
Generally it's that the more the gang members kill each other the better. Then there are less gang members. Straight from a cops mouth after a person was shot to death in front of my house.
There are a lot of misconceptions about how "tuff" being a policeman is.
It's not so tuff. Most police never fire their guns in their LIFETIME. They are almost never exposed to gun fights. They do not have gun fights except in the rarest of circumstances. It might happen once or twice a year for the whole department. The film industry has presented an image of a policeman in a super exaggerated fashion and that is the impression many people develop about police.
They are not looking at dead bodies everyday.
To shoot a dog is almost ridiculous. And a policeman like that and the cop whose dog killed the other pomeranian have to be taken out of the dept.
The best policeman...and there are a number of them, see their work as a job, not as an opportunity to be abusive.
I witnessed the whole thing. Channel 5 and 9 and fox news interviewed me. I was standing right behind the cop - the dog ran off ran off after he was shot and his 74yo owner couldn't catch him. I ran past the owner, asked the dogs name and caught up with him. He was hiding in some bushes and came out very submissively after I called his name twice. This is the link to the 9 news story
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-police-officer-shoots-dog-outside-north-side-home-20121204,0,18208.story
Thank you for helping that poor dog, Todd. You helped to save its life! It's obvious from what you witnessed that the police over-reacted and then for them to return and write the owenr a ticket after it hits the news is retaliation, plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteSomeone posted a comment between 10p and 11p to this topic, and I hit the wrong button (delete instead of approve). If you resubmit, I'll put it through. Sorry. (Just got a new optical mouse and kind of lost control. It's like going from a Neon to a Maserati.)
ReplyDeleteSeriously? This cop shot the dog? I am going to resist judging her, but, WTF.
ReplyDeleteCaring Neighbor,
ReplyDeleteI get the same way with my cialis prescription.
Anyhoo,
the WGN story story has Mr Phillips receiving a ticket for an off leash dog from a Sergeant and Lieutenant two days later.
While that's likely legally permissible it is a BATSHIT stupid move in terms of PR.
It reinforces many of the negative stereotypes many people have of Chicago cops. Sometimes cops as a group and as individuals need to channel the philosophy of Pogo:
WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US.
Many people irrationally "hate" all cops and this just gives them more to complain about.
I'm glad I'm not the Corporation Council who will have to defend that move in court.
It was a stupid move with a capital "F".
From a legal standpoint I'd rather defend a case involving a cop being sued for allegedly wrongfully shooting a gang banger, than a dog.
Many potential jurors actually will like dogs. Unlike the two legged variety of animals we have around here who run around slinging drugs and throwing gang signs.
My best guess is that the cop who fired the shots was genuinely scared of the dog. I doubt he's a sociopath who just likes to go around shooting dogs. The odds are against it.
Even little friendly looking dogs can bite. I had a poodle bite me, didn't break any skin, as I walked by him around Greenview and Diversey. It was warm out and I was wearing shorts. I'm sure the glare off my pasty legs must have caused the dog to have an instinctual "hungry" reaction.
The worst part was the shame it brought me. I mean I wouldn't mind being attacked by an Uptown poodle, like AmericanLt's Mister Poochy, but being bitten by a Lakeview dog is shameful. I lost whatever street "cred" I have left.
As for the Phillips family I hope they take some of the criticisms they've received here and take them to heart. That means shoveling the snow off the sidewalks of their million dollar plus home. That means not blocking the sidewalk with their or their friend's vehicles.
Let me end with a platitude:
It's neighbors who put the "neighbor" in neighborhood". I think Nietzsche said that. Or not.
PS
I'm glad the dog will recover.
Stu Piddy, between 24Oct2012 and 28 Nov 2012 there were six (6) separate murder trials going on at 26th Street in which six (6) Chicago Police Officers were murdered. Six. Now tell me about your occuption. How many of your co-workers were murdered this year?
ReplyDelete"[Chicago Police Superintendent] McCarthy also commented on the recent shooting of a dog by a police officer that didn’t seem to be acting aggressively.
ReplyDelete“We don’t have an obligation to get bit, we don’t have an obligation to get shot before we take action to protect ourselves,” he said. “It’s all about what’s in the mind of that officer at the time.
“At the end of the day, if the dog was on a leash and under control, it wouldn’t have happened.”
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/05/mccarthy-details-police-department-shakeup/
BD,
ReplyDeleteI missed the Stu Piddy comment.
It was stupid. The comment, not me missing it.
Chicago cops get shot at frequently and shoot back frequently. It seems like at least a weekly event citywide. Luckily the shootings relatively rarely result in physical injuries for the cops. Shooting a handgun with any accuracy is difficult. It's not as easy as it seems on the TEEVEE.
Of course if there are dozens of incidents a year where police are shot at the odds are that sometimes the bullets will hit flesh.
If Stu Piddy doesn't want to like cops that's ok. He's entitled to his opinions, no matter how asinine. He's not entitled to make up his own facts. Facts matter.
I'd have to back and look it up, but I can think of at least six incidents in recent years of Chicago cops being killed by gunfire.
The murder of Officer Wortham over a freaking motorcycle is the major one that sticks in my mind.
The man had just gotten back from serving in the National Guard in Iraq and he gets shot in Chicago by some idiot scum.
The other day the Bears honored an officer who was shot earlier this year and is still recovering.
Bottom line...Use Of Force rules...deadly force can only be used when there is immenent danger to life. Deadly force is not justified by being scared. The cop has several tools for self defence. He could have bscked away, used his pepper spray...ect. Theres seversl steps to take before deadly gorce is used and its the last strp in defending life. This dog would have had to actually begsn attacking the cop for him to legally and justifiably shoot the dog. Fesr of unknown is by no means justified.
ReplyDeleteIrish Pirate
ReplyDeleteHere's a link and a quote from it.
"Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York City police officer who is now a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says that although a better hit rate would be great, because less than 1 percent of police officers ever fire their weapons, focusing too much on firearms training could create an unnecessarily militaristic kind of police force."
Less than 1 percent ever fire their weapons in their CAREER.
That doesn't sound like gun fights happen with any regularity amongst police. It's to say less than 1 percent of police ever fire their weapons or get in gun fights.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57502545-504083/empire-state-building-shooting-sparks-questions-about-nypd-shot-accuracy/
there have been about 500 police officers killed in the line of duty since 1853. Some were killed in accidents, very few in shootings.
Yes, it's not like TEE VEE
It's a shame, but I looked up the possible results of the "Independent Police Review Authority" and it doesn't look good for Colonel. You can see it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.iprachicago.org/results.html
I have to admit that I don't have what it takes to be a cop, but my brother does. It's sucks that nothing will probably happen to this bad apple other than they will put him on desk duty for a little while and his file being noted that the incident occurred. In my opinion, if this offier fires recklessly at this dog with the owner standing right there, then he should be removed from the force permanently.
Here are the possible outcomes for this Police Officer:
Sustained - The allegation was supported by sufficient evidence to justify disciplinary action. Recommendations of disciplinary action may range from violation noted to separation from the Department.
Not Sustained - The allegation is not supported by sufficient evidence which could be used to prove or disprove the allegation.
Unfounded - The complaint was not based on facts as shown by the investigation, or the reported incident did not occur.
Exonerated - The incident occurred, but the action taken by the officer(s) was deemed lawful and proper.The complainants are contacted by mail and informed of the results of the investigations.
As you can see the ways that the officer can be forgiven of his stupidity greatly out number the ways that he can be found guilty and reprimanded and/or fired!
Police terrorize people everyday, nothing new. Stop singing their praises. See: Anthony Abbate & the code of silence. They're ALL guilty.
ReplyDeleteThis case depresses me as much as the Sarah McLachlan animal cruelty commercials.. :/
ReplyDeleteI guess, if I were a grown man, I'd be a little embarrassed if I had shot a dog that I was actually able to punt across 2 city blocks..
Did anyone attend the CAPS meeting last night and if so, can you provide a brief summary of the discussion about this matter? It would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20121207/uptown/angry-residents-seek-answers-from-cops-puppy-shooting
ReplyDeleteAlso DNA INFO should probably be put on everyone's bookmarks for Uptown related news.
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/uptown-andersonville
I refuse to hyperlink because it's a dreary and overcast day. Woe unto me.
Commander Voulgaris said: "Some people on news websites and blogs are using the shooting to bash the police...."
ReplyDeleteHow unneighborly. Shame on those bloggers.
And then there's Uptown Update, who have expressed repeatedly that we'll reserve judgment until we hear both sides of the story. If we're guilty, it's of providing a forum for our readers' opinions.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear the puppy is back in the hospital.
If this officer is intimidated by a little dog, how in the world could they ever be trusted to confront a gang banger? Does pepper spray not work on a 20 lb pooch? CPD and their blue wall is really getting out of hand. The owners will sue the city and win, that money should come out of the CPD pension fund.
ReplyDeleteThe CPD is one of the most dirty outfits in the country, just another Union group that is never held accountable for their actions. They seems to always forget that they are employed to "Protect and Serve" the people of Chicago. The same Chicagoans that pay their grotesque pensions and put up with their half ass attitudes. Officer Pettigrew should be kicked off the force if this is how he handles puppies. Don't forget who you work for cops.....US! If the CDP is going to be allowed to run amuck then sooner or later, we are going to have to protect ourselves from those who are supposed to protect us.
ReplyDelete@ James ... The Use of Force model is applicable to HUMAN ASSAILANTS ONLY. YOUR description of it is so screwed up and nonsensical that to comment on it would be a waste of time, but suffice to say that it DOES NOT apply in any way, shape or form to a confrontation with an animal.
ReplyDeleteAs Supt McCarthy stated, “We don’t have an obligation to get bit, we don’t have an obligation to get shot before we take action to protect ourselves,”
@ ChiTownPhilly ... Your comment makes about as much sense as saying that serial killer John Wayne Gacy was a white man, therefore ALL white men are serial killers.
@ Stu Piddy ... You are consistent at making comments with ABSOLUTELY no facts behind them. "...about 500 police officers killed in the line of duty since 1853. Some were killed in accidents, very few in shootings." ... FACT. The vast majority were killed by GUNFIRE. Read for yourself:
http://www.odmp.org/search?agency=Chicago&state=Illinois&from=1791&to=2012&o=
And this doesn't even take into consideration the hundreds who have been shot but survive the attack.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people think that they KNOW how to be a police officer better than the officers who chose to go through months and months of law enforcement training and with years or even DECADES of experience. Pardon me for not being stunned by your genius.
Over the years, I've had lots of dental work done... check-ups, teeth cleanings, wisdom teeth extracted, a couple of root canals and cavity repairs. Hey, I know! I should start telling dentists how to do dental procedures. Sorry, but it makes the same sense to me as untrained people suggesting that THEY know more than police officers about policing.
Perhaps the only "good" that will come out of this story is the joy I get seeing the left wing nutjobs and right wing nutjobs united in their hatred for the police.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me all warm inside.
That's not to say that "policing" in general or specific cops are beyond criticism, they aint, just that the visceral hatred many people have for them constantly amazes me. Perhaps I should replaces "amazes" with "amuses".