Police officer fired for killing dog in front of 6-year-old owner

[Balthazar]

http://rt.com/usa/176220-illinois-officer-fired-killing-dog/

A Chicago-area police officer who fatally shot a young dog in front of its 6-year-old owner on Friday was fired on Monday. Witnesses said the dog was not provoking the cops before it was shot.

Police dispatch in the Chicago suburb of Hometown, Illinois received a phone call on Friday from the dog’s owners that Apollo, a 16-month-old shepherd mix, got out of the family’s yard, and they requested assistance in finding him, Police Chief Charles Forsyth said in a statement on Facebook. The officer ‒ identified by the Justice for Apollo Facebook page as Robert Norris ‒ located the dog and followed him back to his home.

Norris reported that, while attempting to coax the dog back into the house, the dog turned, growled and approached him in a threatening manner. He then withdrew his service weapon and fired one shot, striking the dog, the chief said.

But Apollo’s owner says the dog was never aggressive and did not lunge at the responding officers. She said he didn’t get defensive until Norris pulled out his gun.

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[Kluge]

I search "number of police officers killed by dogs" with Google, and nothing relevant shows up. Maybe I need to try using Bing?

Snarkiness aside, I can see how a year-old dog would seriously threaten a police officer on a dog-seeking mission -- very intense, high-risk in a place like Hometown, IL. You never know when some thug is going to take advantage of a police officer's preoccupation by unloading an automatic weapon on him, so they can't be taking these risks. Also, being attacked by a dog may humiliate the police officer, and if police aren't respected/feared, it may lead to the loss of future police officers' lives because criminals will think they're soft.

[hodap]

Kind of tell you the kind of people working for the police force right now.

This will not end well.

[CustomChickenDelivery]

Yeah, our cops here in "Chicagoland" and especially the suburbs can sometimes be a bunch of fucken meatheads.

I can guarantee you there is a fair amount of public anger. There'll be a lawsuit, then a payoff,

and then business as usual here. Shit happens seems to be the unofficial motto.

here's a snapshot of our situation:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-4-chicago-cops-at-center-of-scandal-had-amassed-more-than-200-complaints-20140730,0,5746067.story

[coinmaster222]

Recently i watched a video of a guy that was recording saying that an animal organisation called him and told him that a police officer shoot and killed his dog while they were investigating his house for a missing girl.The guy was still recording and because he was shocked with the situation he was asking for the officer s name and he was blaming them about irresponsibility and for not having the owners house informed.After he uploaded the video on the internet it got popular with angry people and they protest for the dog.I thought this was a lesson for everyone to not act like this but reading that a police officer killed a dog even if his 6 year old owner was in front and witness the whole thing,thats fucked up.People should never act on those situations like this if the dog attacked the officer he could immobilize the dog pretty easily this is part of their training right?

[umair127]

When will people realize that cops are just hired guns - jack-booted thugs who are no better than the criminals they kill. we wrap them in robes of glory but the good ones are just wanna-be overlords with a license to kill. The bad ones are lazy - like this one. I hope he gets shot himself. I'll call one if I need one but I can only HOPE they are working for me.

[noviapriani]

I can not see why the officer did that, he is criminal,insane,garbage like human. He doesn't deserve the life, he must be dead. The dog had more value than him. I want to give my solidarity to the owner of the dog, I hope that go on the fight against of that horrific act.

[Daniel91]

Sometimes I feel that police officers are using guns to often.
They should change their approach and try to fo their job in different way, more through talking and serving people in their community, not through brutal force. 

[sana8410]

What, the cop was wetting his pants because of a little dog? Some police officers seem to think that violence is the first and last resort. I'm glad this horrible individual is off the force. He just makes things worse for the better officers on the police force.

[Rigon]

I recall several years ago a mail carrier from a major city was fired for pepper spraying or macing a dog that had attacked him several times on his route. The training most cops get today is wrong. They are afraid of their own shadow and in fact don't have the balls to just quit. I said most because there are some excellent officers and exceptional human beings as well, unfortunately for all of us they are in short supply.

[Matze]

Sounds like a lawsuit is on its way.

[zolace]

Departments need to hire dog lovers..All he had to do was give it a treat and a rub on his tummy..it's a freaking puppy still..

[Chef Ramsay]

Police departments need to hire only people that have criminal justice degrees w/ plenty of course work in constitutional law. No more meat heads and no more former active duty military personnel. Need a return to peace officers.

[Balthazar]

How to deal with police officers

http://rt.com/usa/185084-homeowner-police-enter-warrant/

This guy has the balls.