Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

MrScorpio

(73,631 posts)
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 10:46 PM Jan 2015

Bad Cop, No Donut: 25 Jan 15 - Cop may not face liability for negligence in K9 mauling






Cops aren’t the Only Ones who can Assault Innocent People with Impunity, Their Dogs Can Too

Atlanta, GA — A DeKalb County police officer is claiming “official immunity” after she failed to properly restrain her K-9 and it got loose, maiming an 11-year-old boy.

The Georgia Supreme Court is now determining whether or not the family of the boy can sue for damages.

According to NBC 11,

On November 6, 2011, Officer Lynn Eshleman’s K9, Andor, bit an 11-year-old neighbor playing in his neighbor’s yard.
Officer Eshleman had warned children in the neighborhood not to look over the fence because it antagonized the dog. She also warned them if he ever escaped the fence, they should just stand still. “When you run, you become prey to a dog,” she allegedly told the children.
When Andor escaped from the back of the officer’s truck one day, he ran into the yard where the boys were playing. When 11-year-old Chandler Key tried to run away, Andor latched onto his arm and dragged him to the ground.


Eshleman admitted that she had not securely closed the door of the kennel and that the canine got out of her truck, according to the lawsuit.

The boys father filed a lawsuit against Eshleman, claiming that she was liable for damages caused by her negligence. Chandler suffered “a gaping laceration and puncture wound and had to be treated at the hospital with injections and stitches,” according to his father. The 11-year-old is mentally traumatized as well.


Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cops-assault-innocent-people-impunity-dogs/#qhmqCTrpi9xE6K5G.99
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bad Cop, No Donut: 25 Jan 15 - Cop may not face liability for negligence in K9 mauling (Original Post) MrScorpio Jan 2015 OP
Worthless and lazy bastard should lose her job and face jail time. Dawson Leery Jan 2015 #1
It seems to me that the city and her dsc Jan 2015 #2
All animals are equal, safeinOhio Jan 2015 #3
+100 nt 99th_Monkey Jan 2015 #4
It sounds like the dog was very badly trained, at best, and vicious at worst. LeftyMom Jan 2015 #5

dsc

(52,162 posts)
2. It seems to me that the city and her
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 11:03 PM
Jan 2015

or maybe only the city should be being sued here. The city owns the dog, she is an employee of the city who was negligent in her conduct of what are her official duties. I think the city should be on the block here.

LeftyMom

(49,212 posts)
5. It sounds like the dog was very badly trained, at best, and vicious at worst.
Mon Jan 26, 2015, 12:34 AM
Jan 2015

If he ran after people without a command, how did he ever pass training?

Further, police dogs are supposed to be trained to interact normally with the general public, and should not be dangerous in totally foreseeable circumstances such as encountering curious children.

It sounds like the dog is badly trained or vicious and needed to be either retrained or retired from service and kept securely. This was an entirely predictable event and the warnings from the officer prior to the event demonstrate that she was aware of the danger.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Bad Cop, No Donut: 25 Jan...