Texas Police shoot trained therapy dog as they raid wrong address for an expired vehicle registration

[Stan.Dupp]

Ok, am I missing something here? When did Texas start sending SWAT like police teams to peoples houses for expired vehicle registration?

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http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/p...-registration/

LEANDER, TX — Leander Police went to the home of James and Renata Simmons acting on a warrant for unpaid vehicle registration on June 17, 2013. The warrant, however, was for a completely different town – Cedar Park, TX, and was for a person named Bradly Neal Simpson, someone the Simmons family, who have lived at this address for the past nine years, have never even heard of.

Officers walking around the rear of the property saw Vinny, a German Shepherd therapy dog, running free within his fence along with another German Shepherd. Police fired at Vinny, firing 3 times with one bullet hitting him in the back of his neck.

According to KVUE News, Police spokesperson Lt. Derral Partin said the dogs were growling and closing the distance very quickly. He defended his officer who fired the shots, saying “We’re trained to fire until the threat is stopped.” He said it’s the policy of their department to use lethal force on any animal they think is attacking.

Lt. Partin also tells us that his department’s first line of defense against animals is deadly force, rather than less-lethal alternatives. A recent Justice Department report, titled “The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters” which is available for download as a PDF document from the National Canine Research Council (NCRC), makes it clear that only insufficiently trained officers use deadly force as a first line of defense.

Renata Simmons had a different view of what the dogs were doing. “The dogs always do the same thing, they’re like ‘hey somebody’s here’ and they go running up to the gate like ‘hey pet me.’ Well they didn’t get pet this time, they got shot.” Simmons is a professional dog trainer for “Find. Love. Train.” Mrs. Simmons says there were people coming and going from the property every day, and Vinny has never showed signs of aggression, but would go up to meet new people just like any dog would.

During this shooting, the Simmons’s terminally ill six-year-old grandchild was playing just around the corner. Renata worries what would have happened if the child had gotten in the path of the bullets. Police claim not to have seen the child.

Vinny survived the gunshot wound to his neck, which racked up vet costs of about $1,500 for the Simmons family. Their attorney filed a claim with the city’s insurance company on behalf of the family to recover that money, which was recently denied on August 15, 2013, with the city claiming that they’re not responsible for what their officer did, according to Elisa Black-Taylor of Examiner.com. The attorney now plans to file a lawsuit against the city as well as the Leander Police Department on behalf of the family.

The department has since announced “dog behavior training” for their officers to prevent future incidents. It’s too bad the officers missed this article from “Law Enforcement Today” warning officers not to shoot dogs or else be possibly subject of a lawsuit.

The family has set up a Facebook Page for support, where they are also accepting donations towards Vinny’s vet bills the city is refusing to pay, which can be found here: Justice for Vinny.

[CJ7]

Originally Posted by Stan.Dupp

Ok, am I missing something here? When did Texas start sending SWAT like police teams to peoples houses for expired vehicle registration?

------------------------

http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/p...-registration/

LEANDER, TX — Leander Police went to the home of James and Renata Simmons acting on a warrant for unpaid vehicle registration on June 17, 2013. The warrant, however, was for a completely different town – Cedar Park, TX, and was for a person named Bradly Neal Simpson, someone the Simmons family, who have lived at this address for the past nine years, have never even heard of.

Officers walking around the rear of the property saw Vinny, a German Shepherd therapy dog, running free within his fence along with another German Shepherd. Police fired at Vinny, firing 3 times with one bullet hitting him in the back of his neck.

According to KVUE News, Police spokesperson Lt. Derral Partin said the dogs were growling and closing the distance very quickly. He defended his officer who fired the shots, saying “We’re trained to fire until the threat is stopped.” He said it’s the policy of their department to use lethal force on any animal they think is attacking.

Lt. Partin also tells us that his department’s first line of defense against animals is deadly force, rather than less-lethal alternatives. A recent Justice Department report, titled “The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters” which is available for download as a PDF document from the National Canine Research Council (NCRC), makes it clear that only insufficiently trained officers use deadly force as a first line of defense.

Renata Simmons had a different view of what the dogs were doing. “The dogs always do the same thing, they’re like ‘hey somebody’s here’ and they go running up to the gate like ‘hey pet me.’ Well they didn’t get pet this time, they got shot.” Simmons is a professional dog trainer for “Find. Love. Train.” Mrs. Simmons says there were people coming and going from the property every day, and Vinny has never showed signs of aggression, but would go up to meet new people just like any dog would.

During this shooting, the Simmons’s terminally ill six-year-old grandchild was playing just around the corner. Renata worries what would have happened if the child had gotten in the path of the bullets. Police claim not to have seen the child.

Vinny survived the gunshot wound to his neck, which racked up vet costs of about $1,500 for the Simmons family. Their attorney filed a claim with the city’s insurance company on behalf of the family to recover that money, which was recently denied on August 15, 2013, with the city claiming that they’re not responsible for what their officer did, according to Elisa Black-Taylor of Examiner.com. The attorney now plans to file a lawsuit against the city as well as the Leander Police Department on behalf of the family.

The department has since announced “dog behavior training” for their officers to prevent future incidents. It’s too bad the officers missed this article from “Law Enforcement Today” warning officers not to shoot dogs or else be possibly subject of a lawsuit.

The family has set up a Facebook Page for support, where they are also accepting donations towards Vinny’s vet bills the city is refusing to pay, which can be found here: Justice for Vinny.

how did you get a SWAT team out of the story ?

[LNK]

That's what I wondered. Sounds like they sent an officer around back in case the person with the warrant tried to slip out the back.

[Stan.Dupp]

Originally Posted by CJ7

how did you get a SWAT team out of the story ?

No I was just saying Swat like team tactics.. I mean, what PD does that? for an expired vehicle registration?

Originally Posted by LNK

That's what I wondered. Sounds like they sent an officer around back in case the person with the warrant tried to slip out the back.

Ok, unless I am not reading this article right, there wasn't a warrant was there? They said this was for an expired vehicle registration. I have never heard of such a thing. Shoot.. I have let my registration expire on an old truck that I had intended to sell.. went a good 6 months before I sold her.

This just doesn't make any sense. If its for something so minor, why all the police, and then the shooting? The dogs were in a fenced back yard confined.

Edit: Just re-read the begining, so a warrant for an expired vehicle registration. But this isn't a criminal, or some drug dealer, or some escaped felon? This whole thing seems off to me.

[JCM800]

cops shooting a fenced in dog is pretty bad ...but not being able to read a name correctly or know even what town you're in is worse. must be a bunch of Billy Bobs in that department.

[lostincypress]

Really. Texas PD's only send SWAT for Property Code violations and tomatoes.

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jon...s-organic-farm

[LNK]

Originally Posted by Stan.Dupp

No I was just saying Swat like team tactics.. I mean, what PD does that? for an expired vehicle registration?

No, you said:

Originally Posted by Stan.Dupp

Ok, am I missing something here? When did Texas start sending SWAT like police teams to peoples houses for expired vehicle registration?

Ok, unless I am not reading this article right, there wasn't a warrant was there?

Read the first sentence of the story.
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http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/p...-registration/

LEANDER, TX — Leander Police went to the home of James and Renata Simmons acting on a warrant for unpaid vehicle registration on June 17, 2013.

[Stan.Dupp]

Originally Posted by lostincypress

Really. Texas PD's only send SWAT for Property Code violations and tomatoes.

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jon...s-organic-farm

LOL I guess so, maybe they want their property?? Wasn't there some Millionaire years ago that the local Sherrifs department tried to set up with the whole "he has pot growing on his land" and they ended up shooting the guy? I read that not too long ago, related to another story. Anyway, the wife sued the crap out of them and got millions. But in the end, it was learned they wanted his land and money, through civil forfeiture. So they concocted the whole story just to do the raid, hoping to find anything, which they did not.

[Stan.Dupp]

Originally Posted by LNK

No, you said:



Read the first sentence of the story.
------------------------
http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/p...-registration/

LEANDER, TX — Leander Police went to the home of James and Renata Simmons acting on a warrant for unpaid vehicle registration on June 17, 2013.

Ummmm...kk.. so I said Swat like police teams.. ? Who cares how I said it..lol

The point I guess was missed.. oh well..

[CJ7]

No I was just saying Swat like team tactics.. I mean, what PD does that? for an expired vehicle registration

there was a warrant, cops serving warrants never know who or what to expect when they beat on a door or what comes flying out the back door when they identify themselves .. they always protect themselves to the max ... ALL OF THEM .. that's what PD does that

[CJ7]

ok stan, you're dismissed !!

[lostincypress]

Well, here's the city's response........The City has denied their claim for reimbursement and legal representatives through the Texas Municipal League, saying “the officer had a legal right to be on the property since he was trying to serve a warrant, even if it was the wrong address."

They are now putting all of their officers through an eight hour course on how to handle dogs without SHOOTING them.

[Stan.Dupp]

Originally Posted by CJ7

No I was just saying Swat like team tactics.. I mean, what PD does that? for an expired vehicle registration

there was a warrant, cops serving warrants never know who or what to expect when they beat on a door or what comes flying out the back door when they identify themselves .. they always protect themselves to the max ... ALL OF THEM .. that's what PD does that

Ok, understandable, I got that part. But for an expired vehicle registration? They don't give you your vehicle registration until you have paid, via mail or in person. Soooo.. one has to assume that this is an expired vehicle registration? But even with all that in mind, why on earth would you send a bunch of cops out like that for something so incredibly minor. But more importantly.. they got the entire town wrong, and address wrong! Then they shoot someone's dog who is fenced in, and confined in the backyard.

[Stan.Dupp]

Originally Posted by lostincypress

Well, here's the city's response........The City has denied their claim for reimbursement and legal representatives through the Texas Municipal League, saying “the officer had a legal right to be on the property since he was trying to serve a warrant, even if it was the wrong address."

They are now putting all of their officers through an eight hour course on how to handle dogs without SHOOTING them.

Haha, well thats good to know, you think it will work? LOL

[lostincypress]

Every police shooting is justified......at least according to the police.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-driveway.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/...es-in-his-bed/

http://www.texasobserver.org/grand-j...l-houston-man/