Tell the Chandler Police Department to treat this officer like anyone else!

[AZBlue]

K-9 dog dies after being left in hot patrol car
Eugene Scott
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 13, 2007 04:59 PM

A Chandler police dog that died after his handler left him unattended in a hot patrol car was in the vehicle more than 12 hours before being discovered.

Sgt. Tom Lovejoy discovered the body of Bandit, his 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, about 10 p.m. Saturday night. He parked the car at his home about 9:15 a.m. that day after working an extra duty assignment early Saturday morning, police said.

(snip)

A preliminary investigation shows the dog, who was with the department more than four years, died from extreme heat. This incident is under investigation and will be handled internally, Griner said.

Lovejoy, a 15-year veteran, was not put on leave and returned to work Monday. Griner said no disciplinary action has been taken and will not happen unless an investigation determines the actions were reckless or intentional.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0813cr-deaddog.html



If you or I left this poor dog in our car, we'd be brought up on animal cruelty charges so fast our heads would spin. I'm sorry his son was in a car accident, but it wasn't even serious apparently and that doesn't excuse him from taking 30 seconds to let the dog out of the car. This is a despicable act and letting him off just makes it even worse!

Chandler Police Department contact info:
250 East Chicago Street
Chandler, Arizona 85225

• Administration phone: [phone] or 4100
  
• Departmental Fax: [phone]
  
• Public Information Officer (PIO) Main Number: [phone]
  
• Sgt. Rick Griner, PIO: [phone]
  
• Det. Frank Mendoza, PIO: [phone]
  
• Chief of Police: Sherry Kiyler [phone]
  
• Community Liaison: Commander Rick Brzuchalski, 480-782-4102
  
• Complaint form: https://id84.securedata.net/chandlerpd/forms_complaint.htm

[MadMaddie]

1. Unbelievable....this dog was his partner....totally unacceptable

he should be charged with cruelty to animals....

[AZBlue]

2. The dog even lived with him as part of his family!

How could anyone forget their dog in the car all day long?? Especially here in Phoenix, where it was 100 degrees!

I agree - animal cruelty describes this perfectly.

[MadMaddie]

3. And even if he was tired...wouldn't it occur to him his dog is not in the

house? He should lose his job over this, if he that irresponsible than he should not be wearing a badge. This makes me so angry.

[AZBlue]

4. As someone posted on the azcentral site,

let's hope this guy doesn't have any young children in the house!

[Karenina]

18. Can y'all just STOP?

It happens to children, it happens to furry friends, it is AWFUL. All of those who have experienced such a tragic lapse must pay hell. The "Off with his head!" screeching is so unseemly.

[AZBlue]

21. No, I won't.

I'm the kind of person who speaks out when I see such an unjust and cruel act being tolerated like this, whether against a human or an animal.

Actually, I feel your lack of concern here is unseemly. And incredible.

[Karenina]

22. The unjust and cruel act I see being perpetrated

is the spirit of a people being crushed under the weight of the many systems over which they no longer have a modicum of control. This man did not want his canine partner to die... If only he could get those 10 minutes back, where one thought overtook another more important. I feel for those parents responsible for their children's deaths and for those whose pets have been lost. WOULD that there were a PSA running DAILY, supported by billboards reminding the harried and dumb:

DO NOT LEAVE ANY SENTIENT BEING LOCKED IN A CAR DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

[AZBlue]

23. It's a sad, sad comment that we'd need such a reminder.

But, unfortunately we do. What kind of society have we turned into???

[ThomCat]

5. How in hell could anyone do something like this?

How do you not realize that your partner and companion is not with you?

How do you notice that he isn't around, eating in the kitchen, or sleeping on the bed, or following you looking for attention?

:cry:

[mrreowwr_kittty]

6. Poor thing was so well trained that he stayed put

My dogs would never be left in the car, no matter how tired or distracted I was. They leap out and run toward the house as soon as the door opens. I'm not inclined to be too hard on the officer, because I can just imagine how awful he feels. But it does go to show that we need to watch out for our best friends, because they sure look out for us. :cry:

[Sanctified]

7. Assaulting a police dog is exactly the same as assaulting an officer.

This guy should be charged for killing a fellow officer end of story.

[AZBlue]

8. We were just talking about that this morning here at work.

And I couldn't agree with you more!

[krispos42]

13. Amen

A police dog is an officer. They are buried with honors.

Police dog Troy was killed in the line of duty, February 26, 1992, saving a police officer's life. He had been with the force for one year and was a two and a half year old German Shepherd. He was the first member of the Police Canine Unit to be killed in the performance of his duty. Troy distracted a gunman who was pointing a rifle at another police officer and was shot by the assailant and killed instantly.

Hamilton, Canada

[AZBlue]

14. AND if you kill a police dog it's just like killing a human officer.

Unless of course you're this jerk, and then you get off free as a bird.

[AZBlue]

9. They are REALLY trying to cover this up:

"While police dogs that die in the line of duty are usually given high-profile funerals, Griner said the department will likely have a private memorial service for Bandit."
http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0814deaddog0814.html

And now his wife has posted something asking us to feel sorry for him!!! Feel sorry for him? He forgot his dog and partner for 12 hours and we're supposed to feel sorry for him? Now I'm even angrier!

[StarryNite]

10. This is heartbreaking

That poor dog must have suffered terribly. His "partner" let him down big time. I certainly hope they don't give him another dog.

:cry:

[StarryNite]

11. How could this NOT be considered

reckless?

[AZBlue]

12. It should also be considered animal cruelty and contributing to the death

of a police officer (police dogs are given the same rights/considerations as any other officer).

[karlrschneider]

15. How the hell can it NOT be reckless???

:mad: :grr:

[hootinholler]

16. Unbelievable! There is no excuse at all for this. Rec this up people!

:wow::mad::grr::nuke:

-Hoot

[AZBlue]

19. Thanks!

[hogwyld]

17. Maybe this "officer" deserves the same fate

Bastard shouldn't just lose his job, but be sent to jail for a long time.

[StarryNite]

20. Bandit at least deserves to be added

to this unfortunate list that keeps on growing.

Arizona Police K-9 Memorial

http://www.azk9memorial.net/

In Memory of Fallen Partners

http://www.azk9memorial.net/fallen_partners.asp

[AZBlue]

24. He absolutely does!

I think the contacts on this page (http://www.azk9memorial.net/contact_us.asp) would be the ones to suggest that to?