The following story was reported by NBC on December 26, 2007.
Click here for story on-line
WASHINGTON -- A D.C. man is calling for an investigation after his dog was fatally shot by a police officer on Christmas Eve. Michel Morauw said he was walking Scooby, a 2 1/2-year-old boxer, in a small park near 24th and N streets Northwest just after 11 p.m. on Monday. According to the police department's incident report, an officer said he was on patrol and entered the park "when an unleashed dog attacked him." The report said the officer fired his weapon and struck the dog. Morauw said he is still in shock over what happened. He acknowledged the dog was not wearing a leash at the time, but he said the boxer posed no threat. Morauw said Scooby was eight to 10 yards away from the officer. The dog was frozen in fear, Morauw said. Morauw, general manager of the Park Hyatt Washington Hotel, described himself as very supportive of the police, but he said he can't understand how this happened. "It's a family dog. We have three kids. It was Christmas night. There was no reason," Morauw said.
The following story was reported 12/26 by USA9 (click here for story on-line)
DC Police Shoot Family's Pet Right In Front Of Them
WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Michel Morauw took the family's two year old boxer Scooby for a walk in a park near 24th and N Street NW after Christmas Eve dinner. He was off the leash when he encountered Officer Michael Handy of the Second District. "All of a sudden I heard someone scream, hold your dog, and by the time I got around the gate, he was aiming at the dog." Tess Morauw was walking toward to park to join her husband and Scooby and heard the shot. "I called Scooby and he came running. My husband is screaming, he's shot, he's shot, and then I see the trail of blood leading back to the park,"she said. As Scooby lie dying on the sidewalk surrounded by his owners...they called their three daughters to come say goodbye. "Our youngest is in a wheelchair and she couldn't come, but one daughter made it in time." The Morauw's account differs from that of officer [X]... a 20 year veteran of the police department...who was dispatched to the park to handle a call. "He felt the dog was going to attack him so he discharged his service weapon," Second District Supervisor Captain Willie Smith said. "We're sorry the dog was shot, but if it had been on a leash this wouldn't have happened."
DC law requires animals to be on leashes while on public property. They can run off leash in official dog parks. The park at 24th and N is not one of them. Owners who violate the leash law can be fined 25 dollars for a first offense. Scooby's family is determined to make sure police release a full accounting on the night their dog died. "It doesn't matter what day it happens, but it's particularly difficult on Christmas Eve with our three daughters at home," Morauw said. "There needs to be a full and genuine investigation. I want to see that report."
Blogger's notes:
(1) The officer was not injured during the incident. In fact, what we heard, the dog never touched the officer.
(2) From reliable sources who knew Scooby, we learned that Scooby was an extremely playful, gentle dog. Floppy and bouncy were the two words used to describe him. He was very much still a puppy at two years old, many who knew him said, but he was not a puppy.
(3) The area where Scooby was shot was the property of a middle school (Francis Middle School) with a condominium close nearby. We visted the scene at 11:00 p.m. and it is well lighted. The area was well known by police to be used as a de facto dog park. In fact, we learned from one person that officers from the nearby SOD used the area themselves behind the school (when school was not in session) to run their dogs themselves. But it was not a city sanctioned dog park because the city has very few of them, an issue that is still under consideration elsewhere.
(4) We also learned that at the time of the incident, Mr. Morauw was picking up after Scooby when Scooby heard the police officer yelling and then broke loose from him and ran around some trees toward the officer who had just gotten out of his cruiser. Mr. Morauw ran to Scooby, who by then was standing still a number of feet away from the officer. He yelled to the officer that Scooby was a good dog and wouldn't do anything. The officer ignored Mr. Morauw's screams and even as Mr. Morauw was running to get Scooby, before he could get Scooby the officer fired one shot and hit Scooby. Scooby cried out in pain and immediately ran down the street toward his home, about 100 feet away, and died.
(5) It is believed that the incident may have been captured on the security cameras of nearby buildings. (Police cruisers do not have video systems, we have learned.)
(6) We have also learned that altogether officers carry "nightsticks" (batons) and pepper spray, they do not carry tazers and may not consider the former two to be effective against certain dog attacks.
Blogger would also like to note the following.
In August 2005, a gentle Weimaraner named Peach was shot to death by a police officer in the dog's own yard when the police officer was responding to a false burglar alarm call. After that incident, Blogger wrote to Mayor Williams and City Councilman Jack Evans (in whose District both these incidents occurred) pleading with the city to develop a training program for police officers on how to handle dog situations. Details on how to start the program were included in the letter, based on a conversation Blogger had with the ASPCA in NY. The letter reported the results of an informal poll of several dozen police officers in the District that Blogger had just recently undertaken in which police officers said they received no training. Eventually, Blogger received a response from someone in the police department thanking him for his ideas, assuring him that there was a program developed in conjunction with the Washington Humane Society, but inviting him to call with further ideas. The following year, in September 2006, a dog named Princess was shot to death in a very busy Dupont Circle (by a Park Police offcier) under circumstances similar to Scooby's death.
BLOGGER HAS LEARNED AND IS ENCOURGED THAT INDEED THE CITY DID INSTITIUTE TRAINING FOR POLICE IN "WHAT DOGS ARE TRYING TO TELL COPS" AFTER THE ABOVE INCIDENT ON FOXHALL ROAD.
(7) Putting aside the training that police officers do or do not receive regarding handling animals, all police officers are required to follow the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on The Use of Force. In this case, the officer had available his knee, his baton, his pepper spray, his tazer gun to use before the lethal weapon. (We have learned that DC police do not carry tazer guns.)
(8) According To the American Humane, 90 percent of vicious dog encounters can be defused by proper training. If 90 percent of vicious dog encounters can be defused, 100 percent of non-vicious dog encounters can be. SCOOBY WAS NOT A VICIOUS DOG. HE WAS A TWO-YEAR OLD PLAYFUL DOG, STILL VERY MUCH A PUPPY ACCORDING TO THOSE WHO KNEW HIM. PLAYFUL DOGS DO NOT TURN VICIOUS EVEN WHEN PROVOKED.
How many times have we read about similar instances aorund the country where officers have shot innocent, gentle dogs that the dogs were attacking them when there is no evidence of an attack or even a touching? (Remember Patton in 2003 in Tennessee?) Why wasn't this officer trained how to recognize aggressive behavior in dogs and how to defuse aggressive behavior? What didn't the officer use his baton, pepper spray, or tazer before he used his gun? Was he properly trained in the DOJ's MOU on The Use of Force (against people or animals)? This was a 20-year veteran of the police force who shot Scooby, and not some rookie police officer.
It seems that as long as police officers do not receive appropriate training on how to handle dogs, the fine for having your dog off a leash is no longer $25, but could be your dog's life. Let's hope that due process, not to mention common sense, did not die on Christmas eve along with poor Scooby. While we can rightly say that this sad incident would not have happened had Scooby been on a leash, that would be equivalent to saying that police officers have the right to kill all dogs off a leash or that police officers can use lethal force against someone who approaches them when the officers are writing a parking ticket. (No police officer I've met here would say that.) The truth is, this also would not have happened if the officer had been trained properly on the handling of dogs and the DOJ MOU on The Use of Force. The training is first and foremost for an officer's protection and then the public's, including their dogs. The officer involved in this shooting has as much a right to our sympathy as Scooby does. No one would not believe him if he said he thought he was about to be attacked by a vicious dog. But based on the facts that we have garnered, then officer might not have recognized that Scooby was not vicious and might not have known what to do if he had been.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS NOT TO THROW STONES AT ANYONE ABOUT THE EVENT OF DECEMBER 24T. WHAT HAPPENED, HAPPENED, AND NO ONE CAN CHANGE IT. LIKEWISE, NONE OF US HAS ANY SAY OVER WHAT THE MPD'S INTERNAL REVIEW COMES UP WITH. BUT WE DO HAVE A SAY IN HELPING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IMPROVE ITS TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BLOG IS ALL ABOUT. MOST OFFICERS WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO. THOSE WHO DO NOT SHOULD DEMAND THE TRAINING. AND WE KNOW THAT THEMPD WANTS TO IMPROVE ITS TRAINING.
Blogger invites your attention to a comment beneath this posting from someone obviously knowledgeable about these matters in general, and our comment after that.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The following message was sent to the CityCouncilman in whose district this killing occurred and the Mayor and others
I just heard about a cop shooting a 2-year-old puppy boxer dog on Christmas eve at 11:00 pm at 24th and N NW because the dog was off the leash. (The dog was just standing there, although the office says that "the dog attacked him."). The NBC2 story is below this message. Two years ago a weimaraner (Daisy, I believe) on Foxhall Road was similarly shot by a copy in broad daylight in her own yard. Last year it was Joe's dog Princess in Dupont Circle. This summer, a police officer responding to a dog-bites-dog incident near Conn Ave. was getting ready to shoot the Sidney, the bigger dog, until cooler heads prevailed. This is the worst kind of animal cruelty because we expect that the police are going to protect us in our parks, not shoot our dogs.
Some cops are killing our dogs just because the dogs are off the leash. The fine is supposed to be $50 for having a dog off the leash, not the death of the dog. This shooting has to be in gross violation of the DOJ's POLICE USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE - A CONCILIATION HANDBOOK FOR THE POLICE and THE COMMUNITY which police are required to follow. If they are doing this to our dogs, our puppies, what are they doing to people?
Two years ago, I polled 40 police officers in DC from various forces about the kind of training they get to handle dog situations, of which they have many. The answer was unanimously, NONE. I repeat, NONE. One office simply smiled and pointed to his gun. I checked with the only police supply house in the country that puts out the well-known, definitive video on the subject, "What Dogs Are Trying to Tell Cops." Although they have distributed 12,000 copies of that video to municipalities, they told me that DC has never requested one. Officer should get formal training and then refresher training in roll-call sessions. Now they get none. Our dogs are getting shot as the result.
Two years ago, I wrote to you and the mayor about the subject. The mayor sent the letter to Chief Ramsey who sent it to his training chief. He or she wrote me a latter back saying, "Oh, No, we train our officers on how to handle dogs. " I showed that letter to several officers I know and their unanimous reaction was "That's bull s-___. We get none."
We have got to get the police trained on how to handle dogs, for their safety and for the safety of the dogs and others who are around. Just because a dog is off the leash, that is no reason to shoot the dog, even if the dog runs to the officer. There are ways police can be trained to deal with that. We all deal with that every time we see a dog coming to us, and we do not have guns. There are many examples in DC of cops reacting correctly in these situations, but some officers are so damned afraid of dogs and they need to be trained (or not hired --- if they are afraid of dogs, they surely must be afraid of criminals).
The solution is training. Now the police get none. Our dogs --- including yours --- are all vulnerable as long as they are off the leash and untrained cops carry guns. Don't give a cop a gun until they are trained in this.
I am outraged as I am saddened that this happened again, especially since I brought it to your and the mayor's attention two years ago.
I think now I know why DC has the lowest percent ownership of dogs in the country, 20 percent compared to the next lowest (42%) and the average of 59%: because a few untrained cops are shooting dogs and the pound quietly puts every pit bull to death who enters its doors unclaimed. This is wrong. By the way, from a source, I discovered that in the "poorer" districts here, dogs are being shot far more often here, even dogs that are retreating back to their houses. [Source redacted.] She saw this with her own eyes when she was an animal control officer.
Also, I would appreciate it if you would have someone call up and get that cop removed from duty or at least your district immediately until an investigation is done. Also, please call for an investigation because it happened in your district, again. Truthfully, these days I am afraid to walk with my dogs on the street LEASHED as long as that cop or any is around here. Please.
How many more times does this have to happen before something is done. This is a form of animal cruelty that has got to stop. Most of the cops know how to handle these situations, but we are all vulnerable because of the few bad ones.
I am sending this to the mayor too, and the Washington Post. I have already called the post and they are going to have someone get back to me. I would also like to send it to Chief Lanier, who is a dog lover herself, I understand. Does someone in your office have her fax number for me?
Below is the story from NBC2. What a sad story. This is an outrage.
Some cops are killing our dogs just because the dogs are off the leash. The fine is supposed to be $50 for having a dog off the leash, not the death of the dog. This shooting has to be in gross violation of the DOJ's POLICE USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE - A CONCILIATION HANDBOOK FOR THE POLICE and THE COMMUNITY which police are required to follow. If they are doing this to our dogs, our puppies, what are they doing to people?
Two years ago, I polled 40 police officers in DC from various forces about the kind of training they get to handle dog situations, of which they have many. The answer was unanimously, NONE. I repeat, NONE. One office simply smiled and pointed to his gun. I checked with the only police supply house in the country that puts out the well-known, definitive video on the subject, "What Dogs Are Trying to Tell Cops." Although they have distributed 12,000 copies of that video to municipalities, they told me that DC has never requested one. Officer should get formal training and then refresher training in roll-call sessions. Now they get none. Our dogs are getting shot as the result.
Two years ago, I wrote to you and the mayor about the subject. The mayor sent the letter to Chief Ramsey who sent it to his training chief. He or she wrote me a latter back saying, "Oh, No, we train our officers on how to handle dogs. " I showed that letter to several officers I know and their unanimous reaction was "That's bull s-___. We get none."
We have got to get the police trained on how to handle dogs, for their safety and for the safety of the dogs and others who are around. Just because a dog is off the leash, that is no reason to shoot the dog, even if the dog runs to the officer. There are ways police can be trained to deal with that. We all deal with that every time we see a dog coming to us, and we do not have guns. There are many examples in DC of cops reacting correctly in these situations, but some officers are so damned afraid of dogs and they need to be trained (or not hired --- if they are afraid of dogs, they surely must be afraid of criminals).
The solution is training. Now the police get none. Our dogs --- including yours --- are all vulnerable as long as they are off the leash and untrained cops carry guns. Don't give a cop a gun until they are trained in this.
I am outraged as I am saddened that this happened again, especially since I brought it to your and the mayor's attention two years ago.
I think now I know why DC has the lowest percent ownership of dogs in the country, 20 percent compared to the next lowest (42%) and the average of 59%: because a few untrained cops are shooting dogs and the pound quietly puts every pit bull to death who enters its doors unclaimed. This is wrong. By the way, from a source, I discovered that in the "poorer" districts here, dogs are being shot far more often here, even dogs that are retreating back to their houses. [Source redacted.] She saw this with her own eyes when she was an animal control officer.
Also, I would appreciate it if you would have someone call up and get that cop removed from duty or at least your district immediately until an investigation is done. Also, please call for an investigation because it happened in your district, again. Truthfully, these days I am afraid to walk with my dogs on the street LEASHED as long as that cop or any is around here. Please.
How many more times does this have to happen before something is done. This is a form of animal cruelty that has got to stop. Most of the cops know how to handle these situations, but we are all vulnerable because of the few bad ones.
I am sending this to the mayor too, and the Washington Post. I have already called the post and they are going to have someone get back to me. I would also like to send it to Chief Lanier, who is a dog lover herself, I understand. Does someone in your office have her fax number for me?
Below is the story from NBC2. What a sad story. This is an outrage.
What you can do NOW to stop this from happening again
WHAT MUST BE DONE NOW
1- The police chief must undertake an investigation of this incident immediately. At a minimum, it may have been a violation of the DOJ's Guidelines for Use of Force.
NOTE: CHIEF CATHY LANIER HAS INDICATED THAT AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY.
2- The police chief must suspend the officer from duty until the investigation is complete and the officer trained to handle these situations if he has had no training already. This is for his sake, our dogs' sake and the sake of others. As we saw last year in DuPont Circle, a PARK police officer shot and killed a dog named Princess when she was running up to the officer at a busy time of the day when many others were around. Although the witnesses in he area said Princess was not attacking and those who knew said she was friendly, the officer was later cleared of any wrongdoing, including using his gun when he had other means to defuse the situation and Princess never touched him.
3- The city must fund and require training for officer on how to handle dogs and about the use of lethal force when other means are available to them, for their own safety as well as our dogs and then public's. Police have to deal with dog situations in many instances and they need to know how to handle dogs. Again, this is for their own protection. The officer's safety in an incident is of paramount importance and he or she cannot be distracted by a vicious dog. But also, he or she cannot take time out to deal with dogs that are not a threat because that wasted time could be a distraction also.
NOTE: CATHY LANIER HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN SEEKING A PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIZENS TO IMPROVE THE THE POLICE ACADEMY'S TRAINING FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS, FOR THEIR BENEFIT AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC'S AND THEIR DOGS. CHANGES MAY ALREADY BE UNDERWAY, JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THIS SAD STORY BROKE. BLOGGER IS OPTIMISTIC THAT WARRANTED CHANGES WILL TAKE PLACE.
4- As a start to item 3, the Police Department should order copies of the four videos containing useful information on how cops can handle dog situations and start immediately a roll call training program on a voluntary basis.
NOTE: THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACADEMY HAS ALREADY ASKED TO BORROW BLOGGER'S COPIES OF THE FOUR VIDEOS. IT WAS ALSO LEARNED THAT AFTER THE INCIDENT IN 2005, THE ACADEMY OBTAINED ONE OF THEM AND INCORPORATED IT INTO THEIR TRAINING.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
1. Contact the mayor and express your concern about this matter. The mayor's e-mails are: mayor@dc.gov and adrian.fenty@dc.gov
2. Contact City Council member Jack Evans if you live in his District, where the killing of the Scooby occurred, and express your concern about this matter. Ask to make to make the officer is removed from duty until the internal investigation is done and he is being given proper training on how to handle animals and in the use of force. Jack's contact information is:
emails: JACKEVANS@dccouncil.washington.dc.us
Phone: (202) 724-8058
Fax: 724-8023
(Note: Apparetnly, after the 2005 incident, Jack sent our letter to the MPD and they incorprated some of the suggestions into their training.)
3. Contact your City Council member and ask them to support the training of police officers on how to handle animals and in the Use of Force. The police cannot do this on their own and they need city council support and funding and priority. The police I have spoken with would welcome this training. So would we. Click here for the web site with city council members' contact information.
Their phone numbers and room numbers at their address (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004) are:
D.C. City Council Member Phone and Room Numbers
Vincent C. Gray (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8032 Room 504
Carol Schwartz (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8105 Room 404
Phil Mendelson (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8064 Room 402
David Catania (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-7772 Room110
Kwame Brown (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8174 Room 506
Jim Graham (WARD 1) - (202) 724-8181 Room 105
Jack Evans (WARD 2) - (202) 724-8058 Room 106
Mary M. Cheh (WARD 3) - (202) 724-8062 Room 108
Muriel Bowser (WARD 4) - (202) 724-8052 Room 406
Harry L. Thomas, Jr. (WARD 5) - (202) 724-8028 Room ?
Tommy Wells (WARD 6) - (202) 724-8072 Room 408
Yvette Alexander (WARD 7) - (202) 724-8068 Suite 400
Marion Barry (WARD 8) - (202) 724-8045 Suite 400
4. Contact Police Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department and thank her for her prompt, professional and forward-looking response to this and tell her your support the idea for an improved training program for officers on how to handle animals and the use of force. Blogger is confident she understands the gravity of this matter (and the need to be fair) and has already taken all the action she can with regard to the future. Tell her that this training is not only for our dogs but for the officers themselves and the public nearby when incidents occur. Chief Lanier's e-mail is: cathy.lanier@dc.gov
5. Contact the Metro Section at the Washington Post and ask them to give visibility to this story with regard to the future. (There is nothing that can be done to bring Scooby back, but there are things that can be done in the future to prevent this from happening again.) The phone number for the Post is 334-6000 (ask for the Metro section).
6. Contact Mr. Michel Marauw, Scooby's guardian, and give him your condolences about Scooby's unwarranted death and tell him that you will work to make sure that this never happens again to another dog in DC. You may also leave messages of condolences for Michel and his family in the next posting (click here). Blogger will make sure Michel receives them.
His office contact information is:
kluk@hyatt.com
Phone: 202-789-1234
Fax 202-419-6694
Address: Park Hyatt Washington
1201 24th Street NW
Washington DC 20037
7. If you are a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States, contact them and ask them to make more visible their efforts in this area as a nationwide concern. We were told that their e-inbox contains alerts about one shooting of another around the country every day. DC's record is excellent compared to many jurisdictions around the country, but it doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement here. In fact, DC can and should be a leader in this regard. Ironically, Scooby's incident occurred just four blocks from the HSUS's office in downtown DC. Also ask them to send a letter to Mayor Fenty endorsing an improved program for training officers on how to handle dogs in DC and on the Use of Force in general.
Not providing officers sufficient training in these areas is tantamount to a form of animal cruelty since it is 100 percent avoidable and done in the name of the law. Most police officers know how to handle animals and know about the use of force. It's that small percent we need to concern ourselves with. Every one is trainable in this. Most police officers agree that except in the most extreme cases would the use of force be required against a dog. Fortunately, most police officers know that. For instance, read the below items that appeared in the Washington Post in June 2005 (when Blogger saw this piece, he immediately called the officer's precinct captain to inquire about the officer's condition --- he was fine --- and to ask that that officer be commended for sparing the dog):
Dog Bites Police Officer: I ST. SW , 200 block, June 16. A police officer was bitten by an 8-year-old pit bull while arresting the dog's owner. The dog was impounded at the D.C. shelter. The man was released from police custody the next day and claimed his dog at the shelter."
1- The police chief must undertake an investigation of this incident immediately. At a minimum, it may have been a violation of the DOJ's Guidelines for Use of Force.
NOTE: CHIEF CATHY LANIER HAS INDICATED THAT AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY.
2- The police chief must suspend the officer from duty until the investigation is complete and the officer trained to handle these situations if he has had no training already. This is for his sake, our dogs' sake and the sake of others. As we saw last year in DuPont Circle, a PARK police officer shot and killed a dog named Princess when she was running up to the officer at a busy time of the day when many others were around. Although the witnesses in he area said Princess was not attacking and those who knew said she was friendly, the officer was later cleared of any wrongdoing, including using his gun when he had other means to defuse the situation and Princess never touched him.
3- The city must fund and require training for officer on how to handle dogs and about the use of lethal force when other means are available to them, for their own safety as well as our dogs and then public's. Police have to deal with dog situations in many instances and they need to know how to handle dogs. Again, this is for their own protection. The officer's safety in an incident is of paramount importance and he or she cannot be distracted by a vicious dog. But also, he or she cannot take time out to deal with dogs that are not a threat because that wasted time could be a distraction also.
NOTE: CATHY LANIER HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN SEEKING A PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIZENS TO IMPROVE THE THE POLICE ACADEMY'S TRAINING FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS, FOR THEIR BENEFIT AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC'S AND THEIR DOGS. CHANGES MAY ALREADY BE UNDERWAY, JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THIS SAD STORY BROKE. BLOGGER IS OPTIMISTIC THAT WARRANTED CHANGES WILL TAKE PLACE.
4- As a start to item 3, the Police Department should order copies of the four videos containing useful information on how cops can handle dog situations and start immediately a roll call training program on a voluntary basis.
NOTE: THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACADEMY HAS ALREADY ASKED TO BORROW BLOGGER'S COPIES OF THE FOUR VIDEOS. IT WAS ALSO LEARNED THAT AFTER THE INCIDENT IN 2005, THE ACADEMY OBTAINED ONE OF THEM AND INCORPORATED IT INTO THEIR TRAINING.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
1. Contact the mayor and express your concern about this matter. The mayor's e-mails are: mayor@dc.gov and adrian.fenty@dc.gov
2. Contact City Council member Jack Evans if you live in his District, where the killing of the Scooby occurred, and express your concern about this matter. Ask to make to make the officer is removed from duty until the internal investigation is done and he is being given proper training on how to handle animals and in the use of force. Jack's contact information is:
emails: JACKEVANS@dccouncil.washington.dc.us
Phone: (202) 724-8058
Fax: 724-8023
(Note: Apparetnly, after the 2005 incident, Jack sent our letter to the MPD and they incorprated some of the suggestions into their training.)
3. Contact your City Council member and ask them to support the training of police officers on how to handle animals and in the Use of Force. The police cannot do this on their own and they need city council support and funding and priority. The police I have spoken with would welcome this training. So would we. Click here for the web site with city council members' contact information.
Their phone numbers and room numbers at their address (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004) are:
D.C. City Council Member Phone and Room Numbers
Vincent C. Gray (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8032 Room 504
Carol Schwartz (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8105 Room 404
Phil Mendelson (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8064 Room 402
David Catania (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-7772 Room110
Kwame Brown (AT LARGE) - (202) 724-8174 Room 506
Jim Graham (WARD 1) - (202) 724-8181 Room 105
Jack Evans (WARD 2) - (202) 724-8058 Room 106
Mary M. Cheh (WARD 3) - (202) 724-8062 Room 108
Muriel Bowser (WARD 4) - (202) 724-8052 Room 406
Harry L. Thomas, Jr. (WARD 5) - (202) 724-8028 Room ?
Tommy Wells (WARD 6) - (202) 724-8072 Room 408
Yvette Alexander (WARD 7) - (202) 724-8068 Suite 400
Marion Barry (WARD 8) - (202) 724-8045 Suite 400
4. Contact Police Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department and thank her for her prompt, professional and forward-looking response to this and tell her your support the idea for an improved training program for officers on how to handle animals and the use of force. Blogger is confident she understands the gravity of this matter (and the need to be fair) and has already taken all the action she can with regard to the future. Tell her that this training is not only for our dogs but for the officers themselves and the public nearby when incidents occur. Chief Lanier's e-mail is: cathy.lanier@dc.gov
5. Contact the Metro Section at the Washington Post and ask them to give visibility to this story with regard to the future. (There is nothing that can be done to bring Scooby back, but there are things that can be done in the future to prevent this from happening again.) The phone number for the Post is 334-6000 (ask for the Metro section).
6. Contact Mr. Michel Marauw, Scooby's guardian, and give him your condolences about Scooby's unwarranted death and tell him that you will work to make sure that this never happens again to another dog in DC. You may also leave messages of condolences for Michel and his family in the next posting (click here). Blogger will make sure Michel receives them.
His office contact information is:
kluk@hyatt.com
Phone: 202-789-1234
Fax 202-419-6694
Address: Park Hyatt Washington
1201 24th Street NW
Washington DC 20037
7. If you are a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States, contact them and ask them to make more visible their efforts in this area as a nationwide concern. We were told that their e-inbox contains alerts about one shooting of another around the country every day. DC's record is excellent compared to many jurisdictions around the country, but it doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement here. In fact, DC can and should be a leader in this regard. Ironically, Scooby's incident occurred just four blocks from the HSUS's office in downtown DC. Also ask them to send a letter to Mayor Fenty endorsing an improved program for training officers on how to handle dogs in DC and on the Use of Force in general.
Not providing officers sufficient training in these areas is tantamount to a form of animal cruelty since it is 100 percent avoidable and done in the name of the law. Most police officers know how to handle animals and know about the use of force. It's that small percent we need to concern ourselves with. Every one is trainable in this. Most police officers agree that except in the most extreme cases would the use of force be required against a dog. Fortunately, most police officers know that. For instance, read the below items that appeared in the Washington Post in June 2005 (when Blogger saw this piece, he immediately called the officer's precinct captain to inquire about the officer's condition --- he was fine --- and to ask that that officer be commended for sparing the dog):
Dog Bites Police Officer: I ST. SW , 200 block, June 16. A police officer was bitten by an 8-year-old pit bull while arresting the dog's owner. The dog was impounded at the D.C. shelter. The man was released from police custody the next day and claimed his dog at the shelter."
Condolence Messages for the Morauw Family
You may leave messages of condolences or your, for those of you who knew him, remembrances of Scooby for the Morauw family here. If you do not wish to have your message published, please note that in your comment. Blogger will forward all messages left here to Michel Morauw and his family.
90 Percent of VICIOUS-DOG Encounters Can Be Defused
Kerri Burns, a former police officer and trainer for the American Humane Association, told the officers Monday that it's rarely necessary to kill an aggressive dog to stop it. Studies have shown that more than 90 percent of vicious-dog encounters can be defused using the Humane Association's "stop, drop and roll" response, she said. Burns told officers the first step is to stop and assess the dog's body language, then drop their eyes to avoid staring at the dog.
Kerri Burns' background is in law enforcement, coupled with her study of and experience with animal and human behavior, contributes to her ability to provide outstanding training on dog and human interaction. Her credentials include four years' experience in animal welfare, managing nationwide programs for Pets911 and providing training across the United States. She has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is a master's in counseling.
IF 90 PERCENT OF VICIOUS-DOG ENCOUNTERS CAN BE DEFUSED, 100 PERCENT OF NON-VICIOUS DOGS ENCOUNTERS SHOULD BE.
Kerri Burns' background is in law enforcement, coupled with her study of and experience with animal and human behavior, contributes to her ability to provide outstanding training on dog and human interaction. Her credentials include four years' experience in animal welfare, managing nationwide programs for Pets911 and providing training across the United States. She has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is a master's in counseling.
IF 90 PERCENT OF VICIOUS-DOG ENCOUNTERS CAN BE DEFUSED, 100 PERCENT OF NON-VICIOUS DOGS ENCOUNTERS SHOULD BE.
Four Videos for Police Departments on Handling Dogs
An organization called In The Line of Duty puts out and has distributed thousands of copies of the following three videos and two years ago when we spoke with them they told us that DC never ordered a copy. Maybe that has changed, but it doesn't seem like it with Scooby's killing.
Please ask your local police district to order copies now and begin a roll-call training program to train all their officers on how to handle dogs, animal abuse, and so called "pit bull" dogs. Most officers might be able to handle these situation, but its those who cannot that must be trained.
"Animal Abuse: Why Cops Can and Need to Stop It"
Please ask your local police district to order copies now and begin a roll-call training program to train all their officers on how to handle dogs, animal abuse, and so called "pit bull" dogs. Most officers might be able to handle these situation, but its those who cannot that must be trained.
"Animal Abuse: Why Cops Can and Need to Stop It"
Far too often when law enforcement officers run across cases of animal abuse, they pass it off as “kids being kids.” It is much more than that. Studies show that people who abuse animals also abuse other people. Just for starters, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy are prime examples of animal abusers who acquired a taste for blood early in life by abusing animals. It is a serious crime that can lead to more serious crime. Our nation’s law enforcement officers need to know how handle evidence and vigorously investigate animal abuse cases. This training video provides invaluable information about this important area of investigation and prosecution.
*What Dogs are Trying to Tell Cops" (2 videos)
Now, learn some very basic techniques on how each officer can 'read' a dog's behavior and prove without doubt your agency is sensitive and attentive to such training. There have been cases where cops have killed dogs they thought threatened them, only to learn there was no threat and then face enormous liability consequences. It's short, to-the-point and geared exclusively for law enforcement.
"Pit Bull Fighting/Dog Fighting: What Every Cop Should Know"
A Question
In August 2005, a Weimaraner dog (Peach) was shot to death by a police officer checking out a burglar alarm on Foxhall Road. The dog was attacking her, the officer said. In September 2006, a terrier named Princess was shot to death in Dupont Circle. The dog was attacking him, the police officer said. The there was another dog, Bronson, in Georgetown, whom I knew well to be a friendly dog, who was shot by police investigating a burglar alarm call.He survived, luckily. On Christmas eve, the boxer Scobby. Again, the police officer said the dog was attacking him. These are only the highly publicized cases over the last two years. No one knows how many unpublicized cases there were, although I am told that it happens often. My question is this: If Police officers have a right to use their weapons when not in the middle of a crime pursuit (other than dogs off the leash), isn't this a reason for DC to drop its handgun ban and allow all of its citizens to carry guns to ward off all those attacking dogs? It does not make sense that police officers can use their weapons to shoot attacking dogs but we citizens just have to grin and bear it. Fortunately, dog bites are not a problem in DC
There is no question but that police officers do need extra protection against truly vicious dogs because those dogs can lead to a tragedy when there is a crime incident in process. But protection comes not only in weapons, but in training too. Police officers need the training to know when there is not a problem with dogs as much as they need to know when there is. Police and everyone need to know that just because a dog runs up to someone, the dog is not attacking. There are clear, recognizable signs that a dog is ready to attack. They do not get a lot training on the job with dogs because DC has the lowest percentage of dog ownership in the country, 20 percent. The next closest is 42 percent.
There is no question but that police officers do need extra protection against truly vicious dogs because those dogs can lead to a tragedy when there is a crime incident in process. But protection comes not only in weapons, but in training too. Police officers need the training to know when there is not a problem with dogs as much as they need to know when there is. Police and everyone need to know that just because a dog runs up to someone, the dog is not attacking. There are clear, recognizable signs that a dog is ready to attack. They do not get a lot training on the job with dogs because DC has the lowest percentage of dog ownership in the country, 20 percent. The next closest is 42 percent.
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