Brazil K9 Cop Leaves Partner in SUV while he eats

[terrehautian]

I am only posting this here because this story has got a lot of shares.

This cop goes into a eatery and eats, but a woman sees this and plays PETA detective.

On Friday, June 14, 2013 at 7:48 P.M., the Clay County K-9 Sheriff in Brazil, Indiana parked behind me in Forest Park Plaza. He went inside a Chinese restaurant and left his police dog in his vehicle, turned off with no air conditioner running. The temperature at this time read 82 degrees.
The dog barked at everyone who walked by and caught my attention. After 12 minutes of the car being off, I called his Dispatcher and reported the incident. After four minutes, the Sheriff came outside to CONFRONT me!
He was extremely rude, yelled at me, asked me my name for no reason (Which I did not give him), made multiple excuses for his actions, would not even listen or read to what I was referring to on the PETA website, and finally returned to his vehicle at 8:12 to start it and turn his air conditioner on. He ultimately gave no apology and took no responsibility for "his" dog, which is also something that we taxpayers pay for and any decent person would appreciate being well taken care of. He ended the confrontation by avoiding my questions, literally telling me that it was none of my business and telling the other Sheriff (Who was not rude but wouldn't even shake my hand), that he was "done dealing with this."

I hate to tell you, but it is most certainly my business, as I pay for something that you are neglecting, let alone that it is an animal that deserves proper treatment!

The PETA website states that in 78 degrees, a non-running vehicle can reach temperatures between 100-120 degrees. It also states that brain damage, heatstroke, and even death may occur after only 15 minutes!

Aside from the moral and legal aspect of this, i believe that it is very wrong for an OFFICER of the law to be able to be so hypocritical. It is unjust and unfair for citizens to get in legal matters in the same situation and that an officer would be allowed, yet alone think it is okay, to do this!

I am highly disappointed in his "service", attitude, and disregard of the law that he is sworn to maintain! This man is apparently too incompetent to do his job correctly and therefore, doesn't deserve it!

I honestly don't understand how we are expected to trust an officer, or what he stands for, who can disregard the largest part of his job!

PLEASE SHARE so that he is held accountable and made aware of how to actually take care of something!

This is the sheriff's response.

I don’t typically respond to rumors on Facebook as it usually only leads to more problems, but there is so much false and misleading information being posted about an incident involving my office and one of my Deputies that I’m making an exception.

On Friday, June 14, 2013, shortly before 8:00 PM, a concerned citizen phoned in a complaint regarding one of our K-9’s being left in a department vehicle outside of a local restaurant. The citizen said that they were concerned that the vehicle wasn’t running and that the dog would overheat. The Deputy/K-9 Handler and a Sergeant exited the restaurant after being contacted by dispatch regarding the complaint. The citizen began berating the K-9 Handler for leaving the dog inside the locked vehicle. The Sergeant tried to explain the safeguards that are taken to ensure that the K-9s aren’t in danger but apparently the citizen didn’t care. She did ask the Sergeant for a hug- a request which was refused. Rather than bring her concerns to me or my Chief Deputy, she decided to post a slanted and misleading version of the events on her facebook account in an attempt to damage the reputation of the Deputy/K-9 Handler and this office.

Here are a few facts that the citizen didn’t bother to include in her allegations against the Deputy/K-9 Handler and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Our K-9 Handler’s vehicles are equipped with devices that constantly monitor the temperature inside the vehicle. When the temperature reaches a certain level, well before the dog is in danger, the Deputy is sent a message informing them of the issue. The temperature inside the K-9 Handler’s vehicle at the time of the complaint was 78.2 degrees. The departments K-9s don’t ride in the back seat of a typical car or SUV, they travel in kennels which are constructed to not only protect them from injury in a crash; they also protect them from the direct impact of the sun.

This incident took place at around 8:00 PM, not in the afternoon. The sun was not overhead at the time of the incident and wasn’t causing the temperature inside the vehicle to rise to a dangerous level. The windows on both back doors were open, allowing for air to circulate throughout the vehicle (this is evident on the picture the citizen posted). According to Localconditions.com, the temperature at the time of the incident was 77 degrees and there was a four mile-per-hour east wind. The temperature inside the vehicle was only one degree warmer than the temperature outside. I’m sure hundreds of dogs throughout the county who are kept outside, and probably many who're kept inside, were exposed to similar conditions at the time of the “incident” and suffered no harm.

The Deputy/K-9 Handler in question has worked with this K-9 partner for over five years. That’s five summers and winters spent working together, day in and day out in every weather condition you can think of, and never once has this K-9 suffered any ill effects from the weather while in the vehicle. Our Deputy/K-9 Handlers don’t only ensure that their dogs aren’t facing dangerous heat/cold, they make sure they’re not facing uncomfortable heat/cold. When our Deputy/K-9 Handlers suspect that the temperature inside their vehicle may get too hot or too cold, they leave their vehicles running. When the temperature inside the vehicle isn’t going to cause the dog any distress, they don’t. It makes no sense to leave a vehicle running on a parking lot when it serves no purpose, especially when gasoline costs over $4.00 a gallon.

The Deputy/K-9 Handler involved in this incident is well trained and well respected in the law enforcement community for his skills, abilities, and judgment. This Deputy and his K-9 are partners and he would never do anything to unnecessarily endanger his partner. This Deputy/K-9 Handler knew what the temperature was inside the vehicle when he left the dog inside and he knew that it wasn’t going to rise to a dangerous level.

There is no question that it is dangerous to leave an animal inside a car on a hot day with the windows rolled up. We respond to calls of this nature every year and take the appropriate action. That is not, however, what this situation was. At no time was this K-9 in danger.

As an interesting side note, a few weeks ago our other K-9 Handler was chastised by a local citizen for leaving his vehicle running on an afternoon when the temperature was around 90 degrees. Maybe we could get these two together and they could work out a plan for us.

Sheriff Mike Heaton

I fully expect the person who posted the original thing would also be the same one to complain about cars staying running due to high gas prices. If what the sheriff posted is true about monitoring of temps inside the vehicle, I see nothing wrong.

This might be a dupe.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

The Deputy should have let his dog give her a hug.

 

[horsehaulin]

+1 for the Deputy

 

[CathyInBlue]

Sounds like Sheriff Heaton and his deputies have their tish together.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The Deputy should have let his dog give her a hug.

+10! Damn ignorant hippies.

 

[AJBB87]

Reading the first half of the story reminds me of stuff I read on INGO in the 2nd Amendment and General Political Sections. Though usually the other half of the story is no where to be found.

Would be interesting to know how the actual conversation went down.

The citizen obviously felt butt hurt enough to post about the interaction. So was the Duputy upset as soon as he walked out or did the complaintant say something to him first that angered him?

 

[brownhornet]

When I saw that she was quoting the Peta website I knew she was bonkers. I'm sure we'll read some other cause she's championing on facebook again soon.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I would also say I was done with any conversation once PETA came up. Last time I dealt with them was a couple of blocks from where a child was shot and killed a few months before and they were protesting the way KFC kills their chickens. I asked them if they knew about the child being shot and they didn't (despite it being a pretty major media event). 1st world problems and screwed up priorities...

 

[j706]

The Deputy should have let his dog give her a hug.

Ha my thoughts exactly. Left wing wienies makes my BP boil!! I just had to mess with one of these idiots 30 mins ago and I am still fired up over it. Nothing like some old dried up 60's hippy left over woman with a THC fried brain telling me how to do my job. I better log off before I get banned

 

[phylodog]

Reading the first half of the story reminds me of stuff I read on INGO in the 2nd Amendment and General Political Sections. Though usually the other half of the story is no where to be found.

I'm wondering what her INGO screen name is.

 

[vitamink]

All K-9 cars have this... it's the small antenna usually seen mounted to the glass though some are internal. You'll see K9 handlers with a green and gray pager looking thing. That sends info monitoring the temperature. Most also have a system that rolls the windows down and kicks on fans mounted to the cage, as well as sending pages. Again, it's awesome when you get both sides. It's easy just to take one side and run with it. Kudos for getting the FULL story.

 

[AJBB87]

I'm wondering what her INGO screen name is.

There's a few good possibilities that come to mind.