No, not the pondering of a dyslexic agnostic, but the interesting difference in a police officer’s love of dogs when they’re theirs rather than yours. From the South Florida Sun Sentinel :
It was 1 a.m. when the doorbell rang at the McDonald family home. Deputies rushed in screaming: “Get down! Get everyone down!”
As the deputies screamed for everyone to get down, two of the McDonald children, 7 and 13, “were panicked, crying, holding onto their father as if their very lives depended upon it,” the lawsuit says.
The McDonalds asked the deputies why they were in their home without a warrant.
After detaining the family for three hours in their home, the deputies left, deciding it was the wrong address.
So why would West Palm Beach deputies do such a thing to a nice family like the McDonalds?
That night, the deputies were investigating a possible car burglary in the 18000 block of Old Princeton Lane, according to a Sheriff’s Office report. Deputies were called when the car’s alarm went off, though nothing was reported missing from the car. The dog unit was called in and led deputies to the McDonald house, according to the report.
The dog said so. And really, can you argue with a dog? That’s the question that police are constrained to ask themselves when it’s someone else’s dog that comes playfully running, leaping, barking, as they approach. Which, naturally, compels the officers to pull out their 9mm and kill the dog, lest the dog harm them with their wagging tail.
More than 10 deputies were involved in the entry. They were investigating a car burglary report and the Sheriff’s Office dog unit led deputies from the crime scene to the home about a mile away on the 10000 block of Crescendo Circle, west of Boca Raton.
The deputies spread throughout the house, some wearing colored goggles, black vests and gloves. One wearing goggles pointed a handgun at Nicolette McDonald, 17, until it touched her chest.
Could those goggles have been rose-colored? At least when it comes to dogs, they could. Nicolette McDonald? Not so much.
This is the point that Radley Balko, chronicler of dog killings, misses: Police don’t hate dogs. Police hate your dogs. They love their own. In fact, they love them so much that they are prepared to break into your home in the night and shoot your children, if need be, to honor their dogs.
The police in West Palm Beach say that the McDonalds’ description of the night is untrue. According to the cops, the McDonalds invited them into their house at gunpoint at 1 a.m. with their 7 and 13 year old children crying. While some might find the police claims incredible, they should consider the possibility that the McDonalds were deeply concerned that a car thief had slipped in through the lanai room slider and the police were there to protect them. It could happen, right?
But the question that remains unanswered is what were the cops doing for 3 hours? While I’m sure the McDonalds have a lovely home in WPB, the chances of its requiring 3 hours to search are, well, slim. Now it’s possible that with only 10 deputies inside the house, the search might take a little longer than it would with, say, 25, though it might well be that diminishing returns set in with either number.
In any event, other residents of West Palm Beach should be aware that this potentially disturbing event shouldn’t disrupt their sleep. When the McDonald’s attorney made a complaint with internal affair,
H/T Packratt at Injustice Everywhere
This is the point that Radley Balko, chronicler of dog killings, misses: Police don’t hate dogs. Police hate your dogs. They love their own. In fact, they love them so much that they are prepared to break into your home in the night and shoot your children, if need be, to honor their dogs.
The police in West Palm Beach say that the McDonalds’ description of the night is untrue. According to the cops, the McDonalds invited them into their house at gunpoint at 1 a.m. with their 7 and 13 year old children crying. While some might find the police claims incredible, they should consider the possibility that the McDonalds were deeply concerned that a car thief had slipped in through the lanai room slider and the police were there to protect them. It could happen, right?
But the question that remains unanswered is what were the cops doing for 3 hours? While I’m sure the McDonalds have a lovely home in WPB, the chances of its requiring 3 hours to search are, well, slim. Now it’s possible that with only 10 deputies inside the house, the search might take a little longer than it would with, say, 25, though it might well be that diminishing returns set in with either number.
In any event, other residents of West Palm Beach should be aware that this potentially disturbing event shouldn’t disrupt their sleep. When the McDonald’s attorney made a complaint with internal affair,
investigators in May found the claim “unsubstantiated,” records show. The report said despite the family’s assertions, there is no evidence deputies pushed their way into their house, yelled at them or pointed their guns at anyone.After all, it was the McDonalds’ word against the dog’s. Who you gonna believe?
H/T Packratt at Injustice Everywhere
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I tried to think of a McGruff tie-in for this story when I read it on Injustice News, but couldn’t make it funny or believable.
I’m glad to see you didn’t even try.
Why is that when an alleged Victim of a crime makes a complaint and a statement, my accused client is supposed to assume the jury will buy the story and he should just admit his wrongdoing? But, when the cops are the accused, then the alleged victims are just a bunch of liars? No evidence IA said? What about the statements of the family? Oh. Yeah. The cops get two votes for every citizen/victim vote. I hop the city goes down for millions.
I believe that the McDonalds consented to have a pack of armed men enter their home in the middle of the night. It’s kind of like dragging a woman into the back of your van and telling her you want to have sex with her. If she lets you, then it’s not a crime, right?
Believe, the point isn’t lost on me.
I’ve posted on a number of cases where people have been charged for justifiably defending themselves from attacking or aggressive police dogs. Hell, one guy was charged with assault for yelling at a police dog to shut up when it startled him by barking as the guy walked by the squad car.
A few months ago, one town threw a massive, overwrought funeral, complete with traffic shut down, when the local police dog died (of natural causes).
I believe you gentlemen are not bearing in mind that dogs have magic powers.