Family dog killing;the national sport of America's cops

Chandler Police officers shoot dog; family says it wasn't necessary

By Nicole Garcia, FOX 10 News

CHANDLER, Ariz. - A Chandler family is demanding answers from Chandler Police after officers opened fired on their dog killing it, even though it was in their own yard.

Caution: the video attached to this story is graphic and may not be suitable for all audiences.

That family is very emotional, and an internal investigation is launched after the officer killed the dog when it was fighting with another dog inside its fenced enclosure.

"I don't see again, his need to walk 12 feet from the sidewalk to an enclosure and shoot my dog," said Javier Robles.

Robles is 3-year-old Simone's owner, Simone is one of the familys pit bulls. She was inside the enclosure when the officer shot him. He said his 3-year-old daughter saw the shooting from inside the home, and now she is traumatized.

"She says that her doggie blew up, that she hates cop; she woke up having a nightmare last night saying that her doggie blew up, she's been crying all day," he said.

Chandler Police said they got two 911 calls about two dogs fighting. When they arrived they found one dog had the other dogs face in his mouth. The dogs were separated by the fence and when one officer could not separate the dogs using a baton the other officer shot Simone.

But Robles doubts the officers account of what happened. "It's physically impossible for a pit bull to fit its mouth threw that small opening, the blood, you see there and on the floor, is from the officer, you can even see brain fragments because the officer blew my dogs brains out. Right here, point blank," said Robles.

He recorded a confrontation with officers who refused to tell him why they shot his dog.

Robles says he has surveillance video of the shooting. Police could not say whether the dogs threatened the officers, neither officer was injured.

An investigation into the shooting is underway as is an internal investigation into the use of force by officers. The officer who opened fire, remains on duty during both investigations.

This weeks child molestation by cop

Former Vernonia police officer arrested on child luring charges

By FOX 12 Staff

VERNONIA, OR (KPTV) -

A 62-year-old former police officer in Vernonia is accused of sending a sexually explicit message to a 13-year-old girl.

Gene Baska was arrested Wednesday on felony charges of luring a minor and attempt to commit sex abuse.

According to investigators, Baska sent a "sexually explicit message transmitted digitally" to the girl.

Deputies obtained a search warrant Wednesday for his home on Keasey Road and seized electronic equipment related to the ongoing investigation. The warrant was for digital images, videos, photos, audio recordings, text messages and call records.

According to the Vernonia Police Department, Baska served on the force full-time starting in 1990 and did volunteer work prior to that. He retired from the department in 2003.

He bailed out of jail Wednesday night with a no-contact order for the 13-year-old girl and her family.

Deputies said there could be more victims. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Columbia County Sheriff's Office tip line at 503-366-4698.

Fort Worth officer accused of lying about role in case is fired

BY DEANNA BOYD

FORT WORTH

A police officer has been fired for allegedly failing to show up at a court for an aggravated kidnapping trial and giving conflicting information about his role in the case.

The indefinite suspension of Officer Royce Brown, who had been with the department since August 2008, took effect Monday, according to a disciplinary letter filed with the Civil Service Commission.

Brown has appealed, said Terry Daffron Porter, his attorney with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.

“I am anxious to get a hold of the investigation as I already have serious concerns with the method in which it was conducted,” Daffron Porter said. “He looks forward to his appeal hearing.”

According to the disciplinary letter, signed by now retired Chief Jeff Halstead, a Tarrant County assistant district attorney had told Brown in July that she needed to speak with him about his involvement in recovering a firearm used in an aggravated kidnapping case.

Brown, according to the letter, told the prosecutor he didn’t recall anything about the firearm and that he only provided security at the scene. The attorney replied that she might need to speak with him again later, the letter states.

But, the letter alleges, Brown later did not returns calls or an email from the attorney, in which he was informed he was needed in court.

Later, a police supervisor learned that the prosecutor did not want Brown to testify in court after learning that he had a prior suspension from the department for untruthfulness.

Brown, according to the letter, denied receiving any of the voice mail messages and later told investigators that he did have a second conversation with the prosecutor — a conversation she denies took place.

In a later interview with investigators, Brown said he tried to call the prosecutor but the call taker was unable to transfer him. He provided investigators with phone records showing he called the district attorney’s office but at a number different from the one provided by the prosecutor.

“He submitted his phone records and his phone records bore out the fact that he did call the DA’s office,” Daffron Porter said.

The letter alleges that Brown also dramatically changed his account of his role in the aggravated kidnapping case in separate interviews with investigators.

“Officer Brown abandoned his obligation as an officer to testify in a criminal case that could have possibly helped with the conviction of a felon,” according to the letter.

The letter states that Brown was also untruthful to both the prosecutor and internal investigators about discovering evidence in the case. He denied to investigators finding the gun in question in the aggravated kidnapping case despite contradictory statements from multiple witnesses, the letter states.

“Officer Brown’s integrity could always play a part in court cases, which could make him not useful in court cases that he needs to testify in,” the letter states.

Brown had previously received a 16-day suspension from the department on allegations of failing to devote time/attention to duty, untruthfulness, improper use of a police communications system, and disabling data components on a police vehicle, the letter states.

Give an idiot a gun, the idiot will use the gun

2 Tioga officers charged, suspended over gun incident

By Williston Herald

TIOGA, N.D. - Two Tioga police officers face felony charges over a training session during which an AK-47 was fired into a landfill.

The incident happened June 19, as brothers Joshua and Nathaniel McNally were getting ready to tee off on the third hole at the Tioga Golf Course, when their game was interrupted by gunfire.

The gunfire came from two on-duty Tioga police officers, Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Officer Joshua Nelson. Johnson was training Nelson at the time.

They both face face Class C felony reckless endangerment charges and have been placed on paid administrative leave as a result.

Charges were filed Dec. 31 by Divide County State's Attorney Jordan Seymour.

According to Tioga police department administrator Jeff Spivey, Tioga Chief Larry Maize was not aware of the charges being filed until the Williston Herald made a freedom of information request involving the incident.

There is no national IQ test for cops and here's what happens as a result....and your tax dollars pay for it

Albuquerque police officer shot by fellow officer during drug bust

By Joseph J. Kolb

ALBUQUERQUE (Reuters) - An Albuquerque police officer shot and critically wounded a fellow officer during an undercover narcotics bust at a fast food franchise parking lot at around mid-day on Friday, police said.

Police would not release additional details of the shooting or of the nature of the officer's injuries.

"Both officers involved were working in a plain clothes, undercover capacity and have been with the department for many years," said Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said, adding that two suspects were arrested.

The incident comes after a federal investigation concluded the police department in the mid-sized U.S. city in New Mexico used excessive, even deadly, force against passive civilians.

In October of last year, Albuquerque and the U.S. Justice Department announced an agreement for the city's police department to undergo reform and be monitored for use of excessive force.

Another police officer was shot during a traffic stop on Jan. 3. On Dec. 15, an Albuquerque police officer accidentally shot a bystander when his weapon discharged as he climbed through a window during a burglary investigation.

The officer in Friday's underwent surgery at University of New Mexico Hospital, Espinoza said. A second undercover officer was treated and released from the hospital with minor injuries. She said she did not know the cause of the injuries.

Wallace Anderson, who was inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting, told broadcaster KOB 4 he saw two unmarked cars pull up.

"They surrounded this vehicle so it couldn't back up and escape. At that point, the shots happened and a guy was dragged to the pavement," Anderson said.

(Reporting by Joseph J. Kolb in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Editing by Robert Birsel)