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ATLANTA JOURNAL ATLANTA, GA It's a split-second decision. Three times in recent months, a police officer in metro Atlanta has shot and killed a family's dog. In each case, the officer and pet owner disagreed about whether the officer was in enough jeopardy to justify the shooting. It's an emotional issue. To many, pets are members of the family. The owners in these shootings all describe their pets as loving, nonviolent animals. Officers look at it differently. They know only they have an unpredictable animal charging at them and must decide quickly how to deal with it. Nearly two weeks ago, Atlanta police Officer Lucas Wagaman, investigating a home alarm in Kirkwood, chose lethal force when he killed a black lab named Ciarra. Wagaman wrote in his report that two dogs [Ciarra and another black lab] were "running full speed" at him and he feared Ciarra was going to bite him and "cause great bodily harm." He fired two shots from three to four feet away, according to his report. "It's a difficult situation," said Cobb County police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce, speaking generally. "Officers only have a split second from the time that canine starts at them in an aggressive way. Do you know if it's going to stop short and bark at you?" In Kirkwood, homeowner Elizabeth Feichter said Wagaman had plenty of options besides shooting Ciarra, a 65-pounder the family adopted from Georgia Lab Rescue. "He could have said 'Stop,' he could have said 'Wait,' he could have pulled out Mace, he could have just stepped behind our garden fence, he could have fired into the ground," Feichter said. "Ciarra would have taken off and sat shivering in a corner. She's very timid." One national expert said officers would benefit from instruction on using less violent options, such as their baton or chemical spray. "Reaching for a firearm, there's no way to get that back once it's discharged," said Joe Pentangelo, a retired New York City detective who works for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Experience has taught us there are no smart bullets. Besides the humane aspect, even if you're not an animal person, once they're discharged they very often injure unintended targets." In the Atlanta area, training varies. Atlanta City Councilwoman Natalyn Mosby Archibong responded to the Kirkwood shooting by urging the Atlanta Police Department to add specialized training. Atlanta police issued a statement Wednesday saying new officers receive extensive training in when to use force against an "aggressor," be it human or animal, and that the Police Academy is "researching best practices associated with aggressive dog encounters" to see if additional training is warranted. In Cobb, where an officer used lethal force in July against a charging pit bull, the Animal Control Unit will start teaching a four-hour session to police recruits. Until now, Pierce said, Cobb County police have relied heavily on Animal Control. In addition to the new class for recruits, the department is open to adding animal-specific instruction to the firearms training officers attend three times a year. Pierce added that once the department has enough Tasers for every officer, police would have another non-lethal tool at their disposal. Archibong noted the U.S. Postal Service requires two hours of animal defense training for mail carriers, New York requires training on dealing with domestic animals and Maryland tracks shooting incidents involving pets. "I know the Humane Society provides training for law enforcement to understand animal behavior, so they can avoid the kind of thing that happened in Kirkwood," Archibong said. "I've asked the police department to look into providing additional training so our officers can be better prepared." ((I continue to repeat my offer to send to any law enforcement agency free of any charge our programs on DVD: 'What Dogs Try to Tell Cops" and "Pit Bull Fighting/What Cops Need to Know". These training videos could mean a big difference for your agency in liabiity and adverse media issues. Call 1-800 462-5232 or e-mail
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requesting the free programs. Ron))
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