BY KENT ERDAHL
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Commerce
City Police are investigating yet another incident involving the use of deadly
force against a reportedly vicious dog.
Officers were investigating a
child abuse report at a home in the 7300 block of E 82nd Ave at about 1:15pm on
Wednesday afternoon. According to police, an aggressive, mixed breed dog that
weighed between 40-50 lbs. came out of the house, through the front gate and
then bit the officer. The officer then shot and killed the dog.
The dog owner, Nicole Hopkins,
has a different story. She says her dog slipped out the front door, but only
made it through the front gate because the officer opened it.
“The dog cannot open that
gate,” Hopkins said. “The cop had the gate open.”
On Wednesday night, Commerce
City Police Chief Troy Smith admitted the gate was one of many things that
remain under investigation.
“Whether that gate was secured
or not secured at this point in time, I don’t know,” Smith said.
What is not in doubt, Smith
said, is that the officer suffered a significant bite before opening fire.
“The bite was deep,” he said.
“In fact the doctor was very concerned that one of the teeth may have struck a
bone.”
Similar incidents have been an
issue in Commerce City. There have been three recent cases in which deadly
force has been used on vicious dogs. Chief Smith says there has also been a 28
percent increase in vicious animal calls so far this year and a 34 percent increase
in animal bite reports.
“I can’t tell you at this point
in time why those are up, but we can tell you that they are up,” Smith said.
“We believe that the strategic plan that we have developed to address this has
really changed our approach.”
Chief Smith says that strategic
plan covers several measures including increased animal response training for
officers. He went on to say that the training emphasizes non-lethal solutions.
“All ranges of force are
available to them, but we do encourage them and train them to use alternative
methods of force if they have the time to react,” Smith said.
The chief said the officer who
shot the dog on Wednesday night had limited time to react. Nicole Hopkins
disagrees.
“He could have ‘Tazed’ him or
something else,” Hopkins said. “The other cops told that cop, ‘Why didn’t you
Taze him? Why did you shoot him?”
Chief Smith says the officers
are trained to take note of fences and signs like “Beware of Dog” before
approaching homes. Hopkins’ had both a fence and a warning sign.
Both officers who responded are
now on paid administrative leave as police investigate the incident.
Chief Smith acknowledges that
the homeowners have cooperated with the investigation and that nobody is
currently charged. The person involved with the child abuse investigation was
not at the home when police arrived and Hopkins said he does not live there.
