Thread: Stray Police Dog?

The County I reside in, had a 'County Police Department.' That was a complete and total MESS! They answered to no one but a particular Judge. The thing turned into his personal "." The Judge is now a private citizen, to the best of my knowledge and the County Police were disbanded by the newly elected County Judge Executive. I hope HE lives long and does well!
The County Police served NO good purpose IMHO.
As to the Police Dog question, I cannot say. My city has never had them and I have no experience with them.
I sure didn't like the County Police, though.

I worked for the PD in England about 5 years ago now, but it was unheard off for one of the dogs to stray off. The K9 officers were all good lads who cared for their dogs at home when they wern't on duty. The only K9 related incident I can remember is when one of the officers shut his dogs tail in the boot of his van. Poor Khan ended up with his tail in a bandage for weeks after.

Originally Posted by Brother Jeeter

The County I reside in, had a 'County Police Department.' That was a complete and total MESS! They answered to no one but a particular Judge. The thing turned into his personal "." The Judge is now a private citizen, to the best of my knowledge and the County Police were disbanded by the newly elected County Judge Executive. I hope HE lives long and does well!
The County Police served NO good purpose IMHO.
As to the Police Dog question, I cannot say. My city has never had them and I have no experience with them.
I sure didn't like the County Police, though.

Are there any incidents etc. that I could cite? Like you, I'm kind of suspicious of a county force that's not answerable to the voters, except through the Commissioners (aka "Boss Hogg"). I'd prefer a beefed-up Sheriff-- if we can have a good one.

j

Originally Posted by Nord Jim

Are there any incidents etc. that I could cite? Like you, I'm kind of suspicious of a county force that's not answerable to the voters, except through the Commissioners (aka "Boss Hogg"). I'd prefer a beefed-up Sheriff-- if we can have a good one.

j

I don't get it (the idea of election law enforcement officers is foreign to me).
The police are never directly answerable to the public. Why should it be otherwise?
They are an executive branch of the government, answerable to the legal arm of the government.

I suppose you could make an argument that such a police force is less likely to think about what the public thinks of him. But otoh then you get the same problems associated with regular politics: influencing voters, bribes, lies, ... everything that Obama and McCain are criticized for. It would be a popularity contest.

In your case, the county police would have to be answerable to the state police, who'd be answerable to the legal branch of state government (however it is organized in detail).
Doesn't it work like that?

Sorry for the

Are there any incidents etc. that I could cite? Like you, I'm kind of suspicious of a county force that's not answerable to the voters, except through the Commissioners (aka "Boss Hogg"). I'd prefer a beefed-up Sheriff-- if we can have a good one.

j


Nord Jim,

No, I can't point you to specifics. Over many years, there was some 'murmering' among the folks I know, but the County Police were never taken seriously, on the whole. Just one old Judge's private 'badges' to the best of my knowledge. They weren't professional, paid Law Enforcement Officers. 'Nuff said.
Bruno, the Police in this country are under public scrutiny all the time. They CANNOT act with autonomy and impunity. There are plenty of former Police Officers who are now in prison, for acting outside the Law.
State's Rights is a sort of tricky thing. The laws aren't uniform, nationwide. They vary often, from state to state. The law in a particular state prescribes the 'ranking' of state, county and city officials. Elected and otherwise.

County sheriffs are almost always elected. Deputies, on the other hand, are appointed by the sheriff.

I believe the best logic is that the Sheriff is frequently the most local branch of law enforcement, engaged in the most basic community policing and dealing on a day-to-day basis with all sorts of quality of life issues. Therefore, the boss of the department is responsible directly to voters. "Upper" branches of law enforcement, on the other hand, such as the state police, FBI, etc., are insulated from politics (allegedly) by several layers of government.

My concern here is that our county commissioners, who are the worst sort of hick-town political hacks imaginable, are trying to create their own police force. To do what, I'm not sure, but the decision is being made today -- and the Commissioners have just decided to forego the normal public comment period. Pretty strange.

And this thread all started with the issue of a stray dog...

j

"...the decision is being made today -- and the Commissioners have just decided to forego the normal public comment period."

Nord Jim


Man, that sounds FISHY to me! It is always a bad situation when crooks get into power. And major decisions regarding the taxpayers, being made behind closed doors...that STINKS! Sounds like it's all about power and money. Their power and taxpayer money.

Best of luck to ya'.

Jeeter

To answer the questions about a young police dog after having trained a few:

They aren't really "fully trained" until they are mentally mature at about three years old, any time before that they are still a young dog. Even after complete training they require maintenance training on the order of several hours a week. While they can work the streets younger and do a good job this is when they mature.

As far as one being found wandering loose, I would suspect that it could be more likely than your average dog given the same circumstances. This is part of the reason you have to be so careful to secure them well. Its not that they would be any greater danger to the public (They should be confident and comfortable in strange situations to even be considered for a K9 program) but they are a greater danger to themselves. They tend to be fearless, fast, and have good problem solving abilities as well as be tenaciously curious. They are good at escaping enclosures and would then go wherever their curiosity takes them, and may not respect as dangerous situations that would frighten a normal dog.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I don't get it (the idea of election law enforcement officers is foreign to me).
The police are never directly answerable to the public. Why should it be otherwise?
They are an executive branch of the government, answerable to the legal arm of the government.

I suppose you could make an argument that such a police force is less likely to think about what the public thinks of him. But otoh then you get the same problems associated with regular politics: influencing voters, bribes, lies, ... everything that Obama and McCain are criticized for. It would be a popularity contest.

In your case, the county police would have to be answerable to the state police, who'd be answerable to the legal branch of state government (however it is organized in detail).
Doesn't it work like that?

Sorry for the

Not at all.

The county and state police are completely separate entities responsible for different things. The county is responsible for more local laws generally keeping the peace while the state only cares for the main roads and larger organized criminal efforts unless contracted by the counties or communities to provide local enforcement or special services (SWAT, K9, labs, investigative etc.).

The Sheriff is always an elected official owing his job to the people, while the undersheriff who handles the more mundane administrative work is usually a career officer chosen by the sheriff. That way the Sheriff and local law enforcement is independent of the tides of local government and not beholden to the council or county administrator, that way they are free to investigate the government itself if needed. The police should ALWAYS be answerable to the public, they should never be under the direct control of anyone not elected by the people. This keeps them working for the welfare of the people not as a private armed force of some official.

The majority of law enforcement in the US is handled on a county by county basis, with only a little handled at the state level and properly even less at the federal level.

In general a good thing to remember about the US is that every government is independent of every other. While the county is below the state level there is no connection, or direction from one to the other, except where the state passes laws that effect they way counties can do business the same way they pass laws that effect how I do business. Its not like a big "Governmental corporation" With the federal office directing the state offices directing local operations, they really are separate entities.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

The majority of law enforcement in the US is handled on a county by county basis, with only a little handled at the state level and properly even less at the federal level.

Actually, most law enforcement is handled at the city level simply because most Americans live in cities. For example, in Chicago, which occupies all of Cook Country, the sheriffs department does little more than deliver summons. In the collar counties, Lake, Will, etc., the sheriff only provides law enforcement in unincorporated areas, which by definition, contain relatively few people.

Originally Posted by Chimensch

Actually, most law enforcement is handled at the city level simply because most Americans live in cities. For example, in Chicago, which occupies all of Cook Country, the sheriffs department does little more than deliver summons. In the collar counties, Lake, Will, etc., the sheriff only provides law enforcement in unincorporated areas, which by definition, contain relatively few people.

Interesting, I forgot about the cities, around here the county seems to do the most since the cities jurisdiction ends at the city limits even though most of the people seem to live in the burbs which may or may not be incorporated and may or may not have their own police force. For instance no one around here lets Detroit city police out of the city, They prefer it if the county forces and their own elected sheriffs deal with any crime that leaks out from town. Ann Arbor where I live used to have jurisdictional disputes all the time with the university (located in town but its own entity) to the point where the easiest way to beat a ticket was to enter university property where the city cops couldn't legally pursue without permission they were unlikely to get. Thats gotten better lately but it could still be an issue and with the actually city limits containing only half the residents of this county the sheriff has a lot of area and people to take care of.