Why Are Detroit Cops Killing So Many Dogs?

Why Are Detroit Cops Killing So Many Dogs?

Olson, however, says Detroit police have developed a pattern and practice of shooting dogs just for barking. According to an unredacted police report he provided, one of the officers who raided Smith's house, William Morrison, had shot 39 dogs prior to that day.

"That's a staggering number, and that's just one officer out of six involved in that case. Someone who's killed 39 dogs in the course of duty," Olson says, pausing, "is really hunting."

Warning: Graphic information and imagery is shared at the sources.
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Puppycide's Long, Sad History

Stories like Smith's happen all the time. They're so common that they've become known by the grim moniker puppycide. There's a whole category on Reason's website for such events, a 16,000-person-strong Facebook group that tracks local media reports of them, and even a database that attempts to collect information on dog shootings nationwide. But no one knows how many dogs are in fact killed by police every year.

A Justice Department official speculated in a 2012 interview with Police magazine that the number could be as high as 10,000 a year, calling it "an epidemic." That figure that is often repeated in media reports about dog shootings, but it's little more than a guess. A 2012 study by the National Canine Research Council estimated that half of all intentional police shootings involved dogs. There are no reporting requirements, unlike for other use-of-force incidents. Considering the U.S. doesn't even accurately track how many humans are killed at the hands of cops every year, it's no surprise the picture is so murky when it comes to dogs.

To shed light on the phenomenon in one U.S. city that's been hit with a series of lawsuits over dog shootings, Reason obtained the "destruction of animal" reports (see here) filed by Detroit Police Department (DPD) officers in 2015 and the first eight months of 2016. The reports provide a broader context for the individual shootings that have drawn local and national media attention. Unfortunately, they also illustrate the difficulty of getting public information from a major police department on how its officers use deadly force.

Source: Why Are Detroit Cops Killing So Many Dogs?

This is a smaller investigation which includes dogs killed during police raids which is part of a wider problem that has occurred throughout US states. At first I was reluctant to share being it's a disturbing(animal abuse) and touchy subject(pro and anti police support). Though, I am sharing to help add some insight into what is going on with this continuing issue due to being involved in these discussions where dogs are shot are police over the years.


͚See this source: "Can Police Stop Killing Dogs? - PoliceMag for continued information as well as proposed solutions that will hopefully come to light in areas affects by this.

I think that in some cases it is warranted. An unleashed, untrained, aggressive pit bull can be deadly. They have to make split second decisions that could be the difference between life or death. If the dogs in question were all Chihuahuas or beagles being shot I would say it was just a hatred of dogs but that isn't the case.

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort
I think that in some cases it is warranted. An unleashed, untrained, aggressive pit bull can be deadly. They have to make split second decisions that could be the difference between life or death. If they dogs in question were all Chihuahuas or beagles being shot I would say it was just a hatred of dogs but that isn't the case.

The thing is that's not always the case of "unconstrained" animals. As shared in the article and from the civil lawsuit:

According the lawsuit, Smith tried to tell the officers she was putting her dogs away, and placed two in the basement and one in the bathroom. As the officers burst into the house, Debo slipped back upstairs. The officers shot it as it sat down by Smith. Next, they charged into the basement and shot Mama, who was pregnant and backed into a corner. Finally, they moved onto the bathroom, where Smoke was closed in.

These cases are also not all limited to raids and even homes mistaken for raids where dogs are shot.

A dog was shot for barking while he was in a car as the owner was in a business:
"Dog shooting in Coeur d'Alene violated policy, police chief says"

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Internal police reviews found that a Coeur d'Alene officer's shooting of a pet dog in a parked van violated policy, but the officer is still employed by the department, the police chief said. The reviews concluded Officer Dave Kelley's July 9 shooting of the 2-year-old Labrador retriever mix named Arfee was not a reasonable use of force, Chief Lee White said Friday.

Source

Apparently, they're not as skilled, or their training programs aren't as good, as our postal workers who never seem to kill any.

originally posted by: loam
Apparently, they're not as skilled, or their training programs aren't as good, as our postal workers who never seem to kill any.

Funny that the term "going postal" describes a crazy nutter on a rampage, ...perhaps its time the term was redefined ...

a reply to: PorteurDeMort

Rare cases. I mean seriously. In nations where most cops don't carry guns, people own dogs, and the cops get along just fine. They don't need guns, and aren't killing dogs all over.

The truth is, for some reason, we have a bunch of trigger happy sociopaths with badges. Either that or we have chicken# pussies that shoot at the first sign of risk.

For this to make sense at all dogs would have to be a menace, attacking people willy nilly all the #ing time. I mean is there some kind of killer dog pandemic going on? People deal with dogs regularly every #ing day without killing them. I mean do you seriously think the cops lives are so threatened by dogs they should be killing them in anything other than the rarest of circumstances?

Little kids deal with dogs every day. So do old people, disabled people, etc. Why are cops so incapable of it without killing them?

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: PorteurDeMort

Rare cases. I mean seriously. In nations where most cops don't carry guns, people own dogs, and the cops get along just fine. They don't need guns, and aren't killing dogs all over.

The truth is, for some reason, we have a bunch of trigger happy sociopaths with badges. Either that or we have chicken# pussies that shoot at the first sign of risk.

For this to make sense at all dogs would have to be a menace, attacking people willy nilly all the #ing time. I mean is there some kind of killer dog pandemic going on? People deal with dogs regularly every #ing day without killing them. I mean do you seriously think the cops lives are so threatened by dogs they should be killing them in anything other than the rarest of circumstances?

Little kids deal with dogs every day. So do old people, disabled people, etc. Why are cops so incapable of it without killing them?

Listen, I'm not justifying the killing of all of these dogs. I never stated that. I said "sometimes". I get that you're a dog lover, I get it. I said if there was an unleashed, untrained, aggressive pit bull it "could" be deadly. I am not saying that the police are without fault. Quite the opposite. They should be held accountable for unwarranted killings.

Because some of them are nothing more than pussies, and some get off on it, and dogs do not shoot back.

originally posted by: loam
Apparently, they're not as skilled, or their training programs aren't as good, as our postal workers who never seem to kill any.

or they can get tips from 10 or 11 year olds who seem to be able to evade dogs at will.
if those dogs had opposable thumbs and guns, the number of dog killing would not be as staggering.
the American fallacy; guns then more guns.

There's no easier way to get me to hate you than displaying animal cruelty or killing animals needlessly.
And not the regular, soft kind of hate either. It's more like the I-want-to-make-you-suffer-as-a-psychopath-would kind of hate.

This should not be tolerated except in the extreme cases and we should be able to prosecute the policemen who do this to our animals to the fullest extent of the law.

That being said, oftentimes, it's the owners who should be prosecuted as many dogs are neglected, mistreated or trained to be hazardous(and often through cruelty). There are probably cases where they are actually doing the best thing for the animals.

Sadly, I suspect this happens because there are no repercussions for shooting dogs. In the UK such prolific use of firearms is an alien concept and such disregard for dogs would be a national scandal.

This is perhaps indicative of the wider problem with US policing. A complete disrespect of the public by many police officers. Just how is a normal person expected to behave if their pooch has just been shot?

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort
I think that in some cases it is warranted. An unleashed, untrained, aggressive pit bull can be deadly. They have to make split second decisions that could be the difference between life or death. If the dogs in question were all Chihuahuas or beagles being shot I would say it was just a hatred of dogs but that isn't the case.

That is a Load of Crap . Any Dog can be Subdued if found to be a Threat by using Non Lethal Techniques . The Problem is Police are Not Trained Correctly in Dealing with a Situation when a Dog is Involved . There also must be Laws put in Place to Protect any Animal from Police Brutality .

a reply to: dreamingawake

Thats just freakin weird!

Who is training these cops?

Detroit has a big problem with stray dogs. In some of the more abandoned parts of the city, they roam in packs. I suspect that most of the dogs shot are probably strays/feral.

Plus, people who grow marijuana in their basement (with grow light setups) usually keep nasty pitbull-type dogs around to deter thieves.

Killing dogs is how gangs mark their territory.

When a new gang moves into town, they kill dogs and leave the carcasses in the middle of intersections. Busy ones. This makes it safer for their prowlers at night, and sends a signal to the neighborhood that there is a new force in town. Now the police are doing similar things.

Ask yourself this question. When a uniformed officer kills a dog. Who removes the carcass?




Tavern owners offer reward in dog killing
Dog shot in possible gang initiation activity in Indianapolis




If it is the owner that _has_ to remove the carcass, then this is terrorism and punitive territorialism. Plain and simple. They are saying "we are the new gang in town." The interesting thing to me though, is that gang members usually poison the canine, and they certainly don't do the murder in front of the owner. Only someone protected by the state could feel that emboldened.


Mike Grouchy

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort
I think that in some cases it is warranted. An unleashed, untrained, aggressive pit bull can be deadly. They have to make split second decisions that could be the difference between life or death. If the dogs in question were all Chihuahuas or beagles being shot I would say it was just a hatred of dogs but that isn't the case.

That is a Load of Crap . Any Dog can be Subdued if found to be a Threat by using Non Lethal Techniques . The Problem is Police are Not Trained Correctly in Dealing with a Situation when a Dog is Involved . There also must be Laws put in Place to Protect any Animal from Police Brutality .

I agree with Zanti on this one.
Pepper spray does wonders on dogs.


Mike Grouchy

a reply to: dreamingawake
If I shoot a police dog that is attacking me, I get charged with killing a police officer.

A cop shoots a dog sitting in the owner's car... with the windows up (not a threat) and he gets nothing???

Stupid world we live in.

Because they can?
Because we are allowing them to get away with it?

This just infuriates me. To have a cop shoot my dog, in my home? I would spend my life ruining that cop.

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Also Netting . Dog Catching without Harm has been Practiced in this Country for Over a Hundred Years .

Sadly, I suspect in some cities the race of the owners is the reason the dogs are shot.