Thread: Stray Police Dog?

I've noticed that some members of the forum have ties or experience with police work. To them I address this question: Does this sound right?

A couple days ago, we came home to find someone's pickup parked along our tree row. The guy was outside the truck, trying to coax a young German shepherd out of the road.

We went up to him to find out what was up, just as he succeeded in getting the dog out of the road and his hand in the dog's collar. The dog seemed upset and confused, but otherwise well-behaved. We checked the collar for an owner, to find that the owner was the County Sheriff and this was a K-9 dog.

My question has to do first with whether it's normal or even acceptable for a dog of this kind to get loose. My understanding is that dogs undergo extensive (and expensive) training for police work, and I wouldn't think you'd want them running around un-supervised.

The backstory of this is the efforts of the County Commissioners to create a county police force, separate from the Sheriff, who would be relegated to running the county slammer and transporting prisioners. Now, normally I'd oppose this. First, why go to the expense of creating whole new branch when you already have a sheriff who is answerable to the voters? I've lived in plenty of counties in my time, served by good-to-excellent sheriff departments. Besides that, our County Commissioners remind me of something out of The Dukes of Hazzard. On the other hand, our sheriff's department has been singularly useless.

Thus my question goes to this point: Is the sheriff's department, in its running of its K-9 squad, also incompetent, or does this sort of thing happen and I shouldn't worry?

Thanks,

j

PS: To prevent confusion, you should know that I don't actually live within DC, but in Maryland north of there.

j

Originally Posted by Nord Jim

My question has to do first with whether it's normal or even acceptable for a dog of this kind to get loose. My understanding is that dogs undergo extensive (and expensive) training for police work, and I wouldn't think you'd want them running around un-supervised.j

If the dog was riding in a vehicle that was involved in an accident, it could have been traumatized and ran away. The dog would have been in shock. This would be normal behavior for a dog.

I remember some years ago reading a newspaper article about a police dog that had somehow gotten loose (It lived with the police officer.) and was found and taken in by a family not realizing it was a police dog. They were quite surprised to later discover they'd had a canine "assault weapon" in their midst. So I suppose that even a K-9 can wander off. After all, they're still dogs.

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