Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Greeting's All,
In response to the growing out-cry of public opinion, how
do you preceive the finding's of the recent use of a firearm
by the Cookeville, TN Police Department? I would like to
give you my take on the situation; based on just what
I have read and heard:
First, let me begin by saying that the event's I'm about
to discuss are both sad and tragic; and I fully understand
both sides of the equation.
Anytime a FELONY car stop is initiated, a LEO's pulse is
highly accelerated; expecting the worst case scenario.
Police officer's, sheriff's deputy's, state tropper's and
the like are trained professional's; and have undergone
rigid scrunity to get the job in the first place. I myself
am a retired 20 year veteran LEO, so perhaps I might
understand this situation a bit more than someone who
has never undertaken this type of duty.
First and foremost, all LEO's are sworn to "PROTECT
AND SERVE" the community in which they are based. It's
hereby unclear how this situation actually came about; but
all agency's involved assumed that the victims had been
involved in some type of a robbery. What is known, is the
fact that the state trooper was pursuing the suspect vechile
down the interstate; and requested assistance from the
City Of Cookeville, TN Police Departmet.
After all available units had assembled, a FELONY car stop
was executed; with the occupant's being removed from
the vechile, and the door(s) left ajar. At some point, a
family pet in the form of a bulldog exited the vechile and
began to bark (quite customary for most dog's). For some
unknown reason, a Cookeville Police Officer open fire on
the family pet with a 12 gague shotgun! The animal was
D.O.S., to a grieving family; returning home from vacation.
IMHO, the action(s) of this officer were inapproiate for the
following reasons:
a) the officer FAILED to uphold the public trust held in his
position as a police officer.
b) the officer FAILED to render full, efficient, and industrious
service as required of his position.
c) the officer FAILED to "Protect and Serve", by firing a 12
gague shotgun in the mist of the investigation*.
d) the officer FAILED to excercise good judgement.
*firing at a family pet, while he should have been paying
attention to detail; and kept his eyes trained on the potential
suspect's.
Therefore, after taking all fact's into consideration I strongly
recommend that the Chief Of Police of Cookeville, TN take
swift and immediate disclipnary action against the police
officer involved; with suspension and possible termination
of employment a consideration!
Respectfully,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member Retired 20-year veteran LEO
In response to the growing out-cry of public opinion, how
do you preceive the finding's of the recent use of a firearm
by the Cookeville, TN Police Department? I would like to
give you my take on the situation; based on just what
I have read and heard:
First, let me begin by saying that the event's I'm about
to discuss are both sad and tragic; and I fully understand
both sides of the equation.
Anytime a FELONY car stop is initiated, a LEO's pulse is
highly accelerated; expecting the worst case scenario.
Police officer's, sheriff's deputy's, state tropper's and
the like are trained professional's; and have undergone
rigid scrunity to get the job in the first place. I myself
am a retired 20 year veteran LEO, so perhaps I might
understand this situation a bit more than someone who
has never undertaken this type of duty.
First and foremost, all LEO's are sworn to "PROTECT
AND SERVE" the community in which they are based. It's
hereby unclear how this situation actually came about; but
all agency's involved assumed that the victims had been
involved in some type of a robbery. What is known, is the
fact that the state trooper was pursuing the suspect vechile
down the interstate; and requested assistance from the
City Of Cookeville, TN Police Departmet.
After all available units had assembled, a FELONY car stop
was executed; with the occupant's being removed from
the vechile, and the door(s) left ajar. At some point, a
family pet in the form of a bulldog exited the vechile and
began to bark (quite customary for most dog's). For some
unknown reason, a Cookeville Police Officer open fire on
the family pet with a 12 gague shotgun! The animal was
D.O.S., to a grieving family; returning home from vacation.
IMHO, the action(s) of this officer were inapproiate for the
following reasons:
a) the officer FAILED to uphold the public trust held in his
position as a police officer.
b) the officer FAILED to render full, efficient, and industrious
service as required of his position.
c) the officer FAILED to "Protect and Serve", by firing a 12
gague shotgun in the mist of the investigation*.
d) the officer FAILED to excercise good judgement.
*firing at a family pet, while he should have been paying
attention to detail; and kept his eyes trained on the potential
suspect's.
Therefore, after taking all fact's into consideration I strongly
recommend that the Chief Of Police of Cookeville, TN take
swift and immediate disclipnary action against the police
officer involved; with suspension and possible termination
of employment a consideration!
Respectfully,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member Retired 20-year veteran LEO