Bad Experience with Carmel PD

[DarkRose]

Coming soon, the Carmel PD Cookbook, titled...

"How to Wok Your Dog, and Your Neighbors' Too!"

 

[HandK]

Wow! If I had some rep I would rep you!! It seems that no matter what they can't teach common sense in the academy!! it is ashame but it only seems to come to some after years of experience!! Best of luck in court!! But remember he who represents him self has a fool for a client!! Get your self an attorney! and do it up right!! just my two cents worth!! Good luck brother!!

 

[UncleMike]

That seems to be a common trait of officers graduating from the last 2 or 3 academy classes. It must be bad since I've only got 8 years on IMPD and I notice it.

I'm afraid that the vast majority of Academy time is devoted to things other than developing interpersonal communication skills.
The ability to get your point across without being a "richard" is absolutely necessary to be an effective LEO.
I don't see that ability in some recent ILEA Graduates.

 

[malern28us]

Sorry to hear what happened.
Thank you for watching out for an older lady that could have been my Aunt or mother. If I could give you rep, I would.

 

[Vince49]

"Carmel Police Department Orders Citizens To Feed Senior Citizens To Dogs"

That one will surely win the," Bill Gates Award", for 2010!

 

[Eddie]

I'm afraid that the vast majority of Academy time is devoted to things other than developing interpersonal communication skills.
The ability to get your point across without being a "richard" is absolutely necessary to be an effective LEO.
I don't see that ability in some recent ILEA Graduates.

The disturbing trend I see in law enforcement is that "investigate" no longer means "find out what happened". It used to be ok to investigate and report back that "nothing is going on here". Now investigate means "dig into the situation and don't stop investigating until you find somebody that you can charge with something."

 

[theweakerbrother]

Help... my hope in humanity is almost gone.

 

[Pocketman]

I just returned from visiting a friend in Westfield. On my through Carmel I cranked off a round (open moonroof) in every round-about. Had to reload twice. Mrs. Pocketman won't ride with me anymore, but I vented my frustration over Liberty's bad experience.

Off course I'm kidding, I'd never fire a weapon in Carmel.

 

[SavageEagle]

Wow. I think everything I would like to say has been said. Good luck against the corrupted town they call Carmel. I look forward to any updates. Sorry you had this experience.

 

[Vince49]

More roundabouts than rounds!

I just returned from visiting a friend in Westfield. On my through Carmel I cranked off a round (open moonroof) in every round-about. Had to reload twice. Mrs. Pocketman won't ride with me anymore, but I vented my frustration over Liberty's bad experience.

Off course I'm kidding, I'd never fire a weapon in Carmel.

I can not imagine ever having enough ammunition to crank off a round in every roundabout in Carmel!

 

[88GT]

According to the officer, I should have simply stayed in the house. If I saw the dogs attacking an elderly neighbor or a child, I should have stayed out of it.

Half of INGO probably agrees with the officer.

Carmel P.D. Advocates Killing Family Pets
.

Kinda gives new meaning the phrase "Hide your dog," doesn't it?

 

[E5RANGER375]

The moral of the story is, NEVER involve the government in ANYTHING. Absolutely NOTHING can be gained by it, and any situation is going to be made worse. Don’t help your neighbors, even if they’re elderly, young or helpless. Don’t get involved. Don’t do anything.

A lot of wisdom in that statement!! I wouldnt have even called the cops in your case. I have a small child so i would have killed the dogs to make sure it wasnt her they were chewing on next time. I have a GSD and this is the reason I am making every attempt to properly socialize her with other dogs and people. If she ever gets out, I dont want to have any guilt on my shoulders of her harming a innocent person. I think your neighbor should pay or get sued. good thing he is owning up. He is the one to blame. good for you for keeping your cool with the cop. I would have wanted to throw him in the yard with the dogs.

This is another example of why I dont immediately trust any cop I dont know, or until they show me they are'nt a D-Bag.

 

[UncleMike]

The disturbing trend I see in law enforcement is that "investigate" no longer means "find out what happened". It used to be ok to investigate and report back that "nothing is going on here". Now investigate means "dig into the situation and don't stop investigating until you find somebody that you can charge with something."

I've said for years that most of the problems that exist in Law Enforcement come directly from "The Brass".
Officers are encouraged to "dig up" facts in order for the Brass to have something to show their Superiors, thereby justifying their existence.
The focus on Community Assistance and Protection has been lost and replaced with a "What's in it for me" mentality by many of the Upper Echelon.
All of which causes distrust, fear, and even loathing of the Law Enforcement Community.

 

[jboritzki]

Years ago, I fired a warning shot into the ground, in my front yard to stop the neighbor's dog because it was charging me. By the way, the dog was eventually put down because it had bitten 3 people at that point, so yes, it was a biter. I called the BGPD to tell them what i had done in case they got a call about hearing a shot being fired. The woman at the department told me that it was against the law for me to discharge a firearm in the city. I just said "Well would you rather I just let the dog maul me to avoid a ticket?" She asked if I had shot the dog, I said no, just shot into my front yard in front of the dog because I didn't want to kill it if I didn't have to. She said alright and that was the end of it.

There is nothing wrong with what you did and that officer might want to think about what he would do if his neighbor's dog was acting like it was about to attack. I mean, you dont' actually want to kill your neighbor's pet if you don't have to, but yelling at the dog don't always work.

 

[Joe Williams]

Seems to me IC allows you to use force, up to and including deadly force, to protect yourself from death or serious bodily harm. And specifically states that you are protected from all legal jeopardy for using such force. You were clearly in danger of death or serious bodily harm, and you chose to use force, though not deadly force. You should be protected from all legal jeopardy, per Indiana law.

 

[jclark]

I'm sorry you have to endure that crap in the city you live in. I'm glad I live in Evansville.

 

[Pocketman]

... I called the BGPD to tell them what i had done in case they got a call about hearing a shot being fired. The woman at the department told me that it was against the law for me to discharge a firearm in the city. I just said "Well would you rather I just let the dog maul me to avoid a ticket?" She asked if I had shot the dog, I said no, just shot into my front yard in front of the dog because I didn't want to kill it if I didn't have to. She said alright and that was the end of it.

I've been PD communications commander of two large Midwest cities. The Beach Grove dispatcher was spot on in handling this. Unless you specifically asked for an officer to come to the scene, that should have been the end of it.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Liberty,

Sorry to hear the dog attacked you and glad you didn't have to do more than you did. It saddens me as well that this police officer has advised you to commit a felony.

IC 35-46-3-12
Torture or mutilation of a vertebrate animal; killing a domestic animal
Sec. 12. (a) This section does not apply to a person who euthanizes an injured, a sick, a homeless, or an unwanted domestic animal if:
(1) the person is employed by a humane society, an animal control agency, or a governmental entity operating an animal shelter or other animal impounding facility; and
(2) the person euthanizes the domestic animal in accordance with guidelines adopted by the humane society, animal control agency, or governmental entity operating the animal shelter or other animal impounding facility.
(b) A person who knowingly or intentionally beats a vertebrate animal commits cruelty to an animal, a Class A misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Class D felony if:
(1) the person has a previous, unrelated conviction under this section; or
(2) the person committed the offense with the intent to threaten, intimidate, coerce, harass, or terrorize a family or household member.
(c) A person who knowingly or intentionally tortures or mutilates a vertebrate animal commits torturing or mutilating a vertebrate animal, a Class D felony.
(d) As used in this subsection, "domestic animal" means an animal that is not wild. The term is limited to:
(1) cattle, calves, horses, mules, swine, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, poultry, ostriches, rhea, and emus; and
(2) an animal of the bovine, equine, ovine, caprine, porcine, canine, feline, camelid, cervidae, or bison species.
A person who knowingly or intentionally kills a domestic animal without the consent of the owner of the domestic animal commits killing a domestic animal, a Class D felony.
(e) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that the accused person:
(1) reasonably believes the conduct was necessary to:
(A) prevent injury to the accused person or another person;
(B) protect the property of the accused person from destruction or substantial damage; or
(C) prevent a seriously injured vertebrate animal from prolonged suffering; or (2) engaged in a reasonable and recognized act of training, handling, or disciplining the vertebrate animal.
(f) When a court imposes a sentence or enters a dispositional decree under this section, the court:
(1) shall consider requiring:
(A) a person convicted of an offense under this section; or
(B) a child adjudicated a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a crime under this section if committed by an adult;
to receive psychological, behavioral, or other counseling as a part of the sentence or dispositional decree; and
(2) may order an individual described in subdivision (1) to receive psychological, behavioral, or other counseling as a part of the sentence or dispositional decree.
As added by P.L.193-1987, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.41-1998, SEC.2; P.L.132-2002, SEC.1; P.L.7-2007, SEC.1; P.L.171-2007, SEC.10; P.L.111-2009, SEC.14.

After all, if it wasn't necessary to kill the dog to stop the attack and that's his justification for charging you as he did, it wasn't necessary to kill the dog to prevent injury to yourself or another person.

He's an officer of the law. He should know better, a fact I'm sure the judge will make crystal clear to Officer ShortPants.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[jdgatliff]

We had a skunk living under our house in Texas, and tried everything possible to remove him. After trapping and blocking off entrances and mothballs etc failed I resorted to blowing the little guy away. In the heat of the moment and outta fear of being sprayed it took 9 shots from my little .32. Their actually pretty skinny under that fur. We had 3 neighbors across the street and on both sides of our house all with in 300 feet of my house. None of them even bothered to look out the window or investigate what was happening. The thought of calling to report it to the police never even crossed my mind until now. It seems pointless to me unless you shoot someone, or reporting a crime. Hopefully it all works out for you and the police dept inform their officers to use more common sense.

 

[cartmanfan15]

Wow. Not really sure what to say that hasn't already been said. Sorry I didn't kill the dog? Sorry I decided to be a concerned citizen rather than finish Oprah? Seems that anything other than what you did would have been a bad idea. I'm hoping that you will be able to avoid any legal issues. Seems like it shouldn't be an issue. But, court systems aren't exactly the best these days