Shoot a police dog? In Kentucky, you might not go to jail
Daleon Rice shot Ernie twice, right in front of a police officer, but he’ll never serve a day in prison for the crime.
That’s because Ernie, a German Shepherd police dog, made a full recovery and returned to work. Under Kentucky law, assaulting a police dog is only a felony if the dog dies or can’t resume his duties. Otherwise, it’s a misdemeanor that often carries no jail time.
Rice ended up being sentenced to a 40-year prison sentence on other charges, but it irked Officer Mike Lusardi and Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders that Ernie’s assault would not be punished. They lobbied the state legislature to change the law. A bill did not pass last year, but a new one sponsored by Republican Rep. Diane St. Onge sailed through the Kentucky legislature this year.
he state Senate gave the bill final approval Monday and sent it to Republican Gov. Matt Bevin for his signature.
Kentucky is one of six states that consider it a misdemeanor to harm a police dog, according to the United States Police Canine Association. Twelve states make it a felony to harm or kill a police dog regardless of the circumstances, while the penalties in 23 states depend on how bad the dog was harmed.
“Most of the states are falling in line with protections human beings would have as well,” Ferland said.
While police dogs have special bonds with their handlers, they also require a serious financial commitment from a police department. When you combine the cost of purchasing, caring for and training the dog, it ends up costing more than a police car, according to Lt. Col. Brian Steffen of the Covington Police Department.
Covington Police were unfamiliar with Kentucky’s law until Ernie was shot.
“I didn’t understand it. To me, he’s a partner, he’s a police officer,” Lusardi said. “He’s saved my life several times.”
One of those times was in April 2015. Police were looking for Rice after he stabbed his mother in the head several times with a knife. Lusardi spotted Rice on a street in Covington and tried to arrest him. Ernie was there, too, and Lusardi released him to stop Rice from fleeing.
But when Rice turned around, he had a gun pointed at Lusardi. Rice fired, but Lusardi said he was distracted, mostly because Ernie was attacking him. The delay gave Lusardi time to take cover and return fire. Rice then shot Ernie twice, once in the front left leg and once in the back right leg. Yet Ernie only stopped fighting when Lusardi called him back.
“I knew he was hurt because I heard the big yelp, but he was still fighting through it. It was amazing,” he said.
Read more here:
ht/ rob e.
Give Ernie free reign on Daleon’s jugular…
I like most dogs better than most people.
I need to part ways here with the common consensus. Just a little bit. First it’s important to know I’m a Duck hunter/Pheasant Hunter so I’ve owned a few great dogs. And dogs normally naturally like me. But the one interaction I ever had with a police dog wasn’t good. I was 22 years old visiting a pal house who’s dad was LEO with a canine. Freaken dog walked up to me with tail wagging but ears flat on it’s back. Jumped up on my chest and as I started to pet it with my right hand that damn mutt took a wild snap at my face catching the bridge of my nose with a tooth. Unfortunately for the dog my left hand had him by the loose skin on his neck. I slammed that mutt against everything in their house. Fucking dog. I don’t trust anything from the Sheppard family. Oh yea, the old man came running in to find out what was destroying his house and accused me of smelling like dope. I should have done the same to him.
Ernie’s gonna sniff his perp out & get nasty on da boy !
Speaking of (Louisville) Kentucky, on this day in 1964 Cassius Clay and Harlan Sanders got their big breaks.
Forgot the link:
http://www.heyterry.com/blog/uncategorized/simon-meiners-the-twisted-trajectories-of-kentuckys-two-global-icons/
I take no part in the “Cop Hate” that is running rampant in this country right now. Cop live are just as important as anyone else. If you cause intentional harm or death to a police canine, you should be made accountable. There is one glaring issue that bothers me, so hear me out.
What happens to cops when they shoot a citizen’s dog? There are many stories documented where a cop shoots and kills a family pet because the dog was barking or acting in an aggressive manner. Here’s one example that comes to mind.
https://dogmurders.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/geist/
Meh, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Cops shoot innocent dogs all the time. It’s just a dog, get over it.
I was going to comment about justadog or police horse, but fuck it.
Anybody ever shot my dog I’d kill them. I might be dead too but they’ll need to meet me in hell to get their wind pipe back.
BigGun, Never met a horse I didn’t like.
I have a K-9 dog at home, actually 2 and they don’t attack unless they are given the
attack word in German.
Or you attack them.
Sorry to here Brads story, but I have never seen that happen.
If a dog attacks common sense says you are going to fight back.
Thanks, Bad_Brad. You know where I’m comin’ from and how deep those waters run.
BigGun, I do. Just my life experiences and you know how much I respect you and what you do.
Every dog that ever lived is not worth the life of a single unborn human child. I say this as an animal lover.
I’d support it being a felony. I do not
support said animals being used to purposely
assault individuals that are complying with
orders. Way too much of that shit happening also.
The Sheriff of our Parish replaced all of the Police Dogs on the force with Coon dogs. He said the Germans weren’t giving the force any trouble.
JPM, I actually want to laugh at that histarically. But that wouldn’t be right. LOL.
jpm needs a rim shot.
Bad_Brad beating up a police officer. In his own home even.
😮 Never thought I’d see the day.
Why wasn’t the cop fearing for his own life?
I have NO use for police dogs. They are attack weapons that are self directed and I’ve seen them chew the shit out of innocent people who committed the offense of being nearby. If violence is to be done, let it be by a human.
Search dogs are a different matter. Have no problem with those.
If the fuckin dog attacks you, regardless of its owner, you have a right and an obligation to defend yourself.
A dog is a fucking dog. And a dog which bites is an affront to civilization and must needs be put down.
The same logic applies to geese, ducks, cats, chickens, horses, mules, donkeys, SJWs, “Activists,” Demonrats, and RINOs.
Shades of the SchutzStaffel!
izlamo delenda est …
“I didn’t understand it. To me, he’s a partner, he’s a police officer,” Lusardi said.
If you think a dog is on par with a human being, you have serious psychological problems, and do not need to be given a gun and a badge.
Dogs are vermin. I’m not about to let ANY dog, police dog or not, maul me while I have the means to defend myself.
Dogs are not vermin, unless you happen to be muslim.
Dogs are what you put into them, plus all the naturally born stuff.
Attacking a K-9 should be the same as attacking a human officer. Sadly, the penalty still isn’t harsh enough.
There was another K-9 out of Kenton Co. that was, after hours of a standoff, sent into a meth dealer’s trailer. He stabbed the dog and strangled him to the point of passing out. Thankfully, the dog’s vest deflected a worst of the damage. The officers FINALLY went in and subdued the guy, but the dog immediately went after the guy AGAIN as soon as he woke up. Stopped when recalled, too.
Gov. Bevin will likely sign this bill, as well he should.
Police dogs today, deer and ducks tomorrow.
Late, but I’ve decided to go against better judgment and address the stupidity contained herein regardless, which is friggin stupidity on my part.
Apparently there are several here who don’t ‘get it.’ I wasn’t going to post and address this stupidity, but I will take this one opportunity to lower myself to attempt to give an understanding of, ‘justadog.’
It is not that a law enforcement K9 is “equal” to a human being or that of a human officer. If you think that, heeeeres your sign.
It is the total disregard for the law, what the law represents, public safety, officer safety, and the K9 is an extension of the officer as well as the rule of a, “lawful order.”
K9’s are not deployed at the whim of the officer. If they are, they shouldn’t be a K9 handler and will ultimately wind up in court just as any other unjustified use of force.
That handler better be up on his case law… Garner vs Tennessee, Vera Cruz vs Escondido, to name just a couple of MANY.
K9’s, just by their presence, have eliminated battles or; made apprehensions either from officer safety concerns or that of the community. Use of force regarding a K9 is quite clear, not to mention the standards and training of both officer and dog. Being an extension of the officer, he is held to a higher standard of the constitutional law than you and your little pooch or hunting doggie, as well as the training/certification of both.
If you think that harming a police service animal is not a crime, then neither is destroying a police car, building, etc… or any other personal property of yours or, that represents the constitutional rule of law.
bayouwulf, Bob Loblaw, Hambone, Lowell, Tim, & Harry Dresden, Warden of the White Council of Wizards, please refer to my ^^above^^ post.